As another school year draws closer, the Moundridge USD 423 Board of Education has begun laying the groundwork for the months ahead.
During its July 13 meeting, board members reviewed the district’s annual building needs assessment, established the timeline for adopting the 2026-27 budget and approved a series of organizational, financial and personnel actions that will guide district operations throughout the coming school year. All action items received unanimous approval.
One of the evening’s most important discussions centered on the district’s annual building needs assessment, a required review that helps determine future maintenance priorities and capital improvements across the district.
Superintendent Clark Wedel presented an overview of each attendance center, discussing the current needs of Moundridge Elementary School, Moundridge Middle School and Moundridge High School.
While the board did not vote on specific projects, the assessment will help administrators prepare the district’s proposed budget and prioritize future expenditures.
The review marks one of the first major steps in the district’s annual budget process, giving board members an opportunity to evaluate facility needs before finalizing spending plans later this summer.
The board also set the official timetable for approving the district’s 2026-27 budget.
Members voted to hold the Revenue Neutral Rate hearing at 5:50 p.m. Sept. 14, immediately followed by the budget hearing at 5:55 p.m.
Those hearings will take place before the board’s regular September meeting and provide the public an opportunity to comment before the budget is adopted.
With the new fiscal year underway, much of the meeting focused on the board’s annual organizational business.
Board members approved the yearly appointments that assign administrative responsibilities throughout the district.
Shelby Graber will continue serving as clerk of the board, while Christine Kaufman will remain deputy clerk and payroll clerk. Joyce Vogts was reappointed district treasurer, and the Kansas Association of School Boards will continue serving as the district’s legal counsel.
Wedel was reappointed to several statutory positions, including administrator of federal programs, federal compliance coordinator, homeless coordinator, food service representative and free meal application hearing officer.
The board also named Josh Allenbach, Ryan Koehn and Brad Jantz as its negotiations representatives and continued Melissa Helms and Peyton Fast as the district’s representatives on the Moundridge Recreation Commission.
The board then approved its annual operating resolutions, another routine but important part of the July meeting.
Among the actions, board members designated Citizens State Bank as the district’s official depository, reaffirmed participation in the federal school lunch program, authorized the superintendent to manage district investments and set the state mileage reimbursement rate at 72.5 cents per mile.
Members also reaffirmed compliance with state and federal education requirements, designated the McPherson Sentinel as the district’s official newspaper for legal publications and confirmed that regular board meetings will continue to be held on the second Monday of each month at 6 p.m.
In other business, the board renewed the district’s Children’s Internet Protection Act and Internet Safety Policy, an annual action required to maintain compliance with federal regulations governing internet access and online safety in schools.
Board members also approved several financial and operational agreements that will support district services during the upcoming school year.
Those included renewing the district’s nursing agreement, approving a physical therapy contract with Matt Vermillion for athletic programs and authorizing participation in the Greenbush Health Captive LLC Joinder Agreement related to employee health insurance coverage.
The board also approved opening a new checking account at Citizens State Bank and authorized the transfer of $50,000 from the district’s contingency fund into its Special Reserve Fund, strengthening reserves available for future district needs.
The meeting concluded with a 13-minute executive session to discuss personnel matters involving nonelected employees.
The board returned to open session and adjourned without taking further action.
The board’s next regular meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 10, in the USD 423 Board Room.
The public budget hearings will follow during the board’s Sept. 14 meeting.
