PINEDALE – The Sublette County School District No. 1 (SCSD1) Board of Trustees presided over a full agenda on May 11. A majority of actionable items related to the upcoming 2023-2024 academic year.

The board unanimously voted to renew its mil levy for Region V BOCES to cover the next academic year. Most of the mil levy is used to maintain the C-V Ranch Therapeutic Residential School near Jackson, said Daniel Mayer, Region V BOCES executive director.

Trustees Charles Prior and Clayton Olson raised concerns over taxpayer dollars from Sublette County funding a facility that SCSD1 does not use. Olson believed funding to upkeep C-V Ranch must come from the state. The money Sublette County spends on the residential school could better be used to improve local services like early childhood education or Sublette BOCES, Olson added.

Mayer and Superintendent Shannon Harris emphasized Region V BOCES’ plans to replace the mil levy with alternative funding sources next year, particularly from fees for services. Harris encouraged the board to continue the mill for another year and allow Region V BOCES time to “adjust its budget.”

The motion passed by the board contained a caveat that the 2023-2024 would be the last year SCSD1 would contribute a mil levy to Region V BOCES.

Trustees approved a new faculty and staff compensation plan for the 2023-2024 academic year.

The plan features an increase to “step one” of the teacher salary schedule by $2,000, or 3.88 percent, according to district documents. The plan also raised step one for all other schedules by 3.88 percent.

Trustees voted unanimously to renew its employee health insurance plan for 2022-2023. Prior urged trustees to “re-evaluate” the health-insurance plans in coming years to find ways to save money.

The board accepted a bid from Nicholas and Company to provide school lunches. The Western Wyoming Food Co-op recommended Nicholas and Company to SCSD1, SCSD1 documents stated.

Trustees moved to use an unspecified amount of district funds to begin conceptual work with architects on a proposed CTE building. Board members also approved a $9,000 fee from Plan One to launch conceptual work on a new maintenance building.

A motion passed to renew SCSD1’s dues to the Wyoming School Boards Association with language preventing any of the district’s funds from supporting the National School Boards Association.