HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-026RESOLUTION NO. 2024- 026
A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS OF INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, FLORIDA, TO
CALL AN ELECTION FOR A REFERENDUM TO BE PLACED
ON THE BALLOT OF THE GENERAL ELECTION TO BE HELD
ON NOVEMBER 5, 2024.
WHEREAS, on May 20, 2024, the School Board of Indian River County passed Resolution
2024-08, attached as Exhibit "A" and incorporated by reference to this Resolution, providing for the
holding of a referendum election to determine if the electors of the School District of Indian River
County authorize the School Board of Indian River County to annually levy 0.5 mill for four years-, and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
OF INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, FLORIDA THAT:
1. A referendum is hereby called pursuant to section 1011.73(2), Florida Statutes, on the
question set forth in the attached Resolution 2024-08 of the School Board of Indian River
County.
2. The Indian River County Supervisor of Elections is hereby directed to place such question on
the ballot of the General Election on November 5, 2024;
The resolution was moved to adoption by Commissioner Loar and the motion was
seconded by Commissioner Flescher and, upon being put to a vote, the vote was as
follows:
Chairman Susan Adams AYE
Vice Chairman Joseph E. Flescher AYE
Commissioner Joseph H. Earman AYE
Commissioner Deryl Loar AYE
Commissioner Laura Moss AYE
The Chairman thereupon declared the Resolution duly passed and adopted this 4th day of June, 2024.
Attest: Ryan L. Butler, Clerk of
Court and Comptroller
By t'�"j
Deputy Clerk"
Approved as to form andI al suffi ' ncy:
4/jk " k ,
William K. DeBraal
County Attorney
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, FLORIDA .co"n.ivi`�'�e..
BOARD OF COUNTY 10'
By
Ysan Adams, hairman = o.
. CCU I'
The School Board of Indian River County, Florida
RESOLUTION
NO: 2024-08
A RESOLUTION OF THE SCHOOL BOARD 'OF INDIAN RIVER
COUNTY, FLORIDA, ORDERING AND PROVIDING FOR THE
HOLDING OF A REFERENDUM ELECTION TO DETERMINE IF
THE ELECTORS OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF INDIAN RIVER
COUNTY, FLORIDA, AUTHORIZE THE SCHOOL BOARD TO
CONTINUE THE ANNUAL LEVY OF THE 0.50 MILL FOR FOUR (4)
YEARS FOR ESSENTIAL OPERATING NEEDS; PROVIDING FOR
NOTICE OF THE REFERENDUM ELECTION; PROVIDING FOR
PLACES OF VOTING, INSPECTORS, AND CLERKS; PROVIDING
FOR AN OFFICIAL BALLOT; PROVIDING FOR ABSENTEE
VOTING; PROVIDING FOR EARLY VOTING; PROVIDING FOR
PRINTING OF BALLOTS; PROVIDING FOR THE REFERENDUM
ELECTION PROCEDURE; PROVIDING FOP. SEVERABILITY;
PROVIDING A REPEALING CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING AN
EFFECTIVE DATE
BE IT RESOLVED by The School Board of Indian Raver County, Florida ('School
Board"), acting as the governing body of the School District of Indian River County, Florida
("School District"), as follows:
SECTION 1. AUTHORITY FOR RESOLUTION. This Resolution is adopted
pursuant to Section 10 11.73(2), Florida Statutes, and other applicable provisions of law.
SECTION 2. FINDINGS. The School Board hereby finds and determines as follows:
A. The State of Florida has increased educational funding along with increased
restrictions on how funding is to be used since the 2007-2008 fiscal year.
B. All School Boards in the State of Florida, including this School Board, have
experienced funding restrictions while operating expenses continue to rise.
C. This legislative session the Legislature passed HB 5001 which continues the
policy established in 2023 of rolling over categorical funds into the Base Florida Education
Finance Program (FEFP). This year the roll over amount is $1.6 billion statewide. For example,
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there continues to be no categorical funding for instructional materials or the required reading
program, but districts must continue to meet statutory requirements to provide state approved
instructional materials and to deliver the state required reading program. Funds to provide salary
increases to instructional personnel shall use 1.07 percent of its base FEFP funding amount
provided in HB 5001, to either increase the minimum base salary reported to at least $47,500 or
provide salary increases to other full-time instructional personnel as defined in section
10 12.01(2), Florida Statutes. The estimated cost for the School District is $3.8M.
D. The expansion of the Florida Family Empowerment Scholarship, available to all
K-12 students, has tripled in Full Time Equivalent (FTE) student scholarships since FY2022.
This is an increase of 1,118.50 FTE above the 553.50 ending FY2021/22. For FY2023/2024,
$7,837,448 was set aside for these scholarships. Preliminary projection for Family
Empowerment Scholarships for FY2024/2025 is 1,672 FTE or $10,935,618 in School District
funding that must be set aside.
E. The School District has experienced operating budget shortfalls impacting the
instructional requirements of our students, compromising the safety, security, and wellness of
our students; and hampering the ability to recruit, retain, and incentivize high-quality teachers
and staff to create the highest skilled workforce on the Treasure Coast.
F. The School District's educational funding per House Bill 5001 for the 2024-2025
fiscal is not sufficient to cover the additional financial requirements such as increases in teacher
salaries, the Florida Retirement System (FRS), Family Empowerment Scholarships, health
insurance, and property casualty insurances. In addition, the American Rescue Plan funding will
end creating additional financial impacts.
G. The School District's funding for student transportation from- the FEFP formula
for the last four years has been approximately $3.5M compared to actual expenditures of
approximately $5.4M, or a deficit of $1.9M.
J. In August 2020, the electorate of Indian River County approved 'via ballot
referendum an Essential Operating Needs Millage of 0.$0 umu for fiscal years 2021/2022,
2022/2023, 2023/2024, and 2024/2025. This voter approved millage referendum is estimated to
generate an average of approximately $13 million per fiscal year for the School District of Indian
River County. However, the authority granted for the voter approved millage expires at the end
of fiscal 2024/2025.
K. The School District needs sufficient revenues to maintain and improve its high-
quality public schools.
L. Section 1011.73(2), Florida Statutes, provides electoral authorization of ad
valorem millage for four (4) years for operating purposes pursuant to a voter referendum.
M. Section 10 11.71(9), Florida Statutes, authorizes a School District to levy, by local
referendum, the continuation of additional millage for school operational purposes up to an
amount that, when combined with the non -voted millage levy, does not exceed the 10 -mill limit
established under the Florida Constitution. This section also requires funds levied to be shared
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with charter schools based on each charter school's proportionate share of the district's total
unweighted full-time equivalent student enrollment and used in a manner consistent with the
purposes of the levy.
N. The School Board has determined it is in the best interest of the students in Indian
River County to submit to the voters the question of continuing the ad valorem millage of a 0.50
mill for four (4) years for to provide high-quality educational opportunities for all students by
expanding supports for school safety, security, and student wellness; recruiting, retaining, and
developing high-quality educators; and sustaining technology supports.
SECTION 3. ESSENTIAL OPERATING MILLAGE, Subject to approval by the
electors of the School District at a referendum held as provided in Section 1011.73(2), Florida
Statutes, a 0.50 mill shall continue to be levied within Indian River County for essential
operating needs of the School District, as defined in the preceding Section, for the 2025/2026,
2026/2027, 2027/2028 and 2028/2029 fiscal years, in an effort to preserve essential operations of
the School District.
SECTION 4. REFERENDUM ELECTION ORDERED. The Board of County
Commissioners of Indian River County, Florida is hereby directed to call ` an election in
conjunction with the general election of November 5, 2024, at which the electors within the
School District may vote on the continuation of an ad valorem millage of 0.50 mill for four (4)
years as authorized in § 10 11.73(2), Florida Statutes.
SECTION 5. NOTICE OF REFERENDUM ELECTION. In accordance with
§ 100.342, Florida Statutes, the Superintendent is hereby authorized and directed to place a notice
of the referendum election in a newspaper of general circulation published -in the School District.
The publication shall be made at least 30 days prior to the referendum election and shall be made
at least twice, once in the fifth week and once in the third week prior to the week in which the
referendum is to be held. The notice of referendum shall be substantially in the form provided in
the attached Exhibit A. This Resolution shall be published as a part of such notice.
SECTION 6. PLACES OF VOTING; INSPECTORS AND CLERKS. The polls will
be open at the voting places on the date of the referendum election. All qualified electors
residing within the School District shall be entitled and permitted to vote at the referendum
election on the proposition provided in this Resolution. The places, manner and procedures of
voting and the inspectors and clerks of the referendum election shall be those designated by the
Supervisor of Elections of Indian River County in accordance with law.
SECTION 7. OFFICIAL BALLOT. The ballots to be used in the referendum election
shall be substantially in the following form:
The School District of Indian River County, Florida
Continue Essential Operating Needs Referendum Election
Shall the School District continue to levy a 0.50 ad valorem millage for essential
operating needs to provide high-quality educational opportunities for all students,
by expanding school safety, security, and student wellness supports; recruiting,
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retaining, and developing high-quality educators; sustaining; technology supports
beginning July 1, 2025, and ending four fiscal years later, which replaces the
existing voter approved 0.50 ad valorem millage that expires June 30, 2025; with
annual reporting to the citizenry?
YES, FOR APPROVAL
NO, FOR REJECTION
SECTION 8. ABSENTEE VOTING. The Supervisor of Elections shall make adequate
provision in accordance with law and procedures lawfully enacted by the Supervisor for voting
by absentee voters. The form of ballots to be used in the referendum election by and for absentee
voters shall be the same as used in the polling places for the referendum election.
SECTION 9. EARLY VOTING. The Supervisor of Elections shall make provision in
accordance with the established procedures of that office for participation by the voters in early
voting. The form of ballots to be used in the referendum election for early voting shall be the
same as used in the polling places for the election.
SECTION 10. PRINTING OF BALLOTS. The Supervisor of Elections of Indian River
County shall print on plain white paper a sufficient number of the ballots for use of absentee
electors and early voters entitled to cast ballots in the referendum election, to have printed
sample ballots and deliver the sample ballots to the inspectors and clerks on or before the date
and time for opening of the polls for the referendum election; and to make appropriate
arrangements for the conduct of the election at the polling places specified.
SECTION 11. REFERENDUM ELECTION PROCEDURE. The Supervisor of
Elections of Indian River County shall hold, administer, and conduct the referendum election in
the manner prescribed by law for holding elections in the School District. Returns shall show the
number of qualified electors who voted at the referendum election on the proposition and the
number of votes cast respectively for and against approval of the proposition. The returns shall
be canvassed in accordance with law.
SECTION 12. SEVERABILITY. In the event that any word, phrase, clause, sentence,
or paragraph of this Resolution shall be held invalid by any court of competent jurisdiction, such
holding shall not affect any other word, clause, phrase, sentence, or paragraph.
SECTION 13. REPEALING CLAUSE. All Resolutions in conflict or inconsistent with
this Resolution are repealed as far as there is conflict or inconsistency.
SECTION 14. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon
its adoption.
ADOPTED at a duly noticed public meeting of The School Board of Indian River
County, Florida, the 20th day of May 2024, with a quorum present and voting.
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THE SCHOOL BOARD OF INDIAN
RIVSCUNTY, FLORIDA
a nborg, 9hair
WEST:
David Moore, Ed.D., Superintendent
APPROVED AS TO FORM AND
LEGAL SUFFICIENCY:
Molly L. gfiaddock, Esquire
School Board Attorney
Poo' O
EXHIBIT A
NOTICE OF REFERENDUM ELECTION IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF INDIAN
RIVER COUNTY, FLORIDA, ON NOVEMBER 6, 2024
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT A REFERENDUM ELECTION will be held
on November 6, 2024 in the School District of Indian River County, Florida, for the purpose of
determining whether or not the electors in the School District approve to continue the levy of
0.50 mill for essential operating needs of the School District for 2025/2026, 2026/2027,
2027/2028 and 2028/2029 fiscal years; all as more specifically described and provided in a
Resolution of the School Board of Indian River County, Florida, adopted May 20, 2024 and
published below.
The polls will be open at the voting places on the date of the referendum election and
absentee voting and early voting will be available for the referendum election, all as provided in
the Resolution published below.
All qualified electors residing within the School District shall be entitled, qualified, and
permitted to vote at the referendum election.
[INSERT RESOLUTION ONCE ADOPTED]
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