KENAI PENINSULA BOROUGH

RESOLUTION 2003-130

A RESOLUTION PROVIDING FOR THE SUBMISSION TO THE VOTERS OF A PROPOSITION AUTHORIZING AREAWIDE AUTHORITY OF THE KENAI PENINSULA BOROUGH TO DIRECTLY FUND SCHOOL DISTRICT COCURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AND STATING AN INTENT TO CONSIDER FUNDING INCLUDING A DIRECT APPROPRIATION OF $1.4 MILLION FOR COCURRICULAR ACTIVITIES IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2005 SCHOOL DISTRICT BUDGET

WHEREAS, in August 2003, the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District formed a School District Cocurricular Task Force for the purpose of exploring and making recommendations regarding how cocurricular activities could be funded outside of the general operations budget of the school district; and

WHEREAS, the task force was chaired by former Kenai Peninsula Borough School District board president Joe Arness and included representatives from the Kenai Peninsula Borough Board of Education, the school district administration, the borough administration, the borough assembly, and others with expertise in the area; and

WHEREAS, the task force recommended to the Kenai Peninsula Borough school board that the board approve a request for $1,400,000 from the Kenai Peninsula Borough to be placed in a special revenue fund, to fund school district cocurricular activities in FY2005. It further recommended that the school board request that the borough place a proposition before the voters to fund the special revenue fund on an annual basis equal to 0.5 mills; and

WHEREAS, at its meeting of November 17, 2003, the Kenai Peninsula Borough School Board passed a motion requesting that the Kenai Peninsula Borough consider providing an additional $1.4 million per year for fiscal years 2004 and 2005 to be used to fund cocurricular activities, and that the question be placed before the voters during the October 2004 general election, asking whether the Kenai Peninsula Borough shall continue to directly fund cocurricular activities outside of the operational funding for the district; and

WHEREAS, the school district is facing severe financial difficulties, and providing additional funding to support cocurricular activities for the school district would enable the district to better serve curricular needs of the Kenai Peninsula Borough students; and

WHEREAS, providing the voters with an opportunity to vote on the question during the regular election of October 2004 would determine whether the borough may continue to fund such activities outside of the operational funding cap in the future;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE ASSEMBLY OF THE KENAI PENINSULA BOROUGH:

SECTION 1. That the following proposition shall be placed before the voters of the Kenai Peninsula Borough at the regular election to be held October 5, 2004:

PROPOSITION:

Do you approve of the exercise of powers necessary for the Kenai Peninsula Borough to directly fund cocurricular activities for the school district in addition to operating funds currently authorized by law? It is anticipated that the amount of funding will not exceed 0.5 mills in additional tax levies for a total amount of $2,128,928 per year based upon the current taxable property in the Kenai Peninsula Borough. Funds appropriated to the school district would be placed in a special revenue fund and administered by the school district administrator in charge of the Kenai Peninsula School Activities Association. Cocurricular activities include educational, cultural, and recreational activities that are not part of, but supplemental to, curricular courses that are sponsored by the school district.

SECTION 2. That the assembly shall consider appropriating an amount up to an additional $1.4 million in the FY2005 budget to be used to fund cocurricular activities sponsored by the school district as described in the above proposition.

SECTION 3. That this resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption.

ADOPTED BY THE ASSEMBLY OF THE KENAI PENINSULA BOROUGH THIS * DAY OF * 2003.