FACILITY GOALS/AUTHORITY

 

FA

 

 

The development of a quality educational program and school buildings which facilitate the implementation of the program go hand in hand.

 

This School Board has the power, authority and duty to have the responsibility for the erection, repairing and equipping of school facilities and the making of necessary school improvements. §37-7-301 (d) (1993)

 

Therefore, it is the goal of this School Board to seek funds to provide both the facilities needed for the number of students in the district and to provide the type of facilities that will best accommodate and support the educational program.

 

Standard 23.11 is as follows: The school district is in compliance with state and/or federal requirements for a School Safety Plan, including facilities that are clean, safe, and equipped to meet the instructional needs of students and staff. {MS Code 37-3-81, 37-7-301(c)(d)(j), 37-11-5 and 49, 37-17-6(20), and 45-11-10}

 

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LONG-RANGE PLANNING – NEW SCHOOLS FACILITIES PLANNING

 

FD

 

 

The Board of Trustees shall approve a long-range school facilities plan. Developed in strict accordance with design safety and related minimum state school facilities standards, all facility plans shall be submitted to the State Department of Education.

 

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NAMING OR RENAMING NEW FACILITIES

 

FDC

 

 

The Superintendent of Schools shall be directed to recommend to the Board of Trustees the process for selecting the name or renaming of any school facility. The Board of Trustees shall have final approval of both the process of selection and the naming or renaming of the facility.

 

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ADMINISTRATION OF SIXTEENTH SECTION LAND

 

FDD

 

 

The Superintendent of Education shall be responsible to the Board of Trustees for the administration of law governing Sixteenth Section Land management under the Board’s control as outlined in the Mississippi Code. The superintendent’s designee is to act for him/her in carrying out this responsibility and report to him/her for recommendations to the Board of Trustees.

 

All leases and easements shall comply with the requirements set forth in the Mississippi Code Annotated, and amended, and the School Trust Land Policies and Procedures Manual prepared and amended by the Office of the Mississippi Secretary of State.

 

All requests for leases shall be submitted in writing to the Superintendent of Education. A legal description of the property shall be attached to the request.

 

To establish the Fair Market Value, appraisals of new parcels and reappraisals of leased parcels shall be by a competent appraiser selected by the superintendent or his/her designee or by Tax Assessor Certificate as defined by the School Trust Land Policies and Procedures Manual. The Board reserves the right to alter this method by simple resolution at any legal board meeting.

 

All survey costs, legal fees, filing fees, appraisal fees, and other costs shall be paid by the Lessee as and when required by the Long Beach School Board.

 

All leases, with the exception of those subject to sealed bids, shall contain a rent adjustment clause requiring a reappraisal and rent adjustment at each ten-year interval. The Long Beach School District shall have the option of reappraising and adjusting the rental amount at each five-year interval.

 

No lease may be assigned or subleased without the expressed written consent of the Long Beach School Board.

 

New leases created by subdividing existing Residential or Farm Residential leases shall be limited to ten (10) years with no guaranteed renewal period.

 

Residential Leases

 

Each residential lease is restricted to a single dwelling and shall be for a term not to exceed forty (40) years. The School District may offer the option of a guaranteed twenty-five (25) year renewal.

 

The rental amount of each lease shall be set at 5% of the Fair Market Value of the parcel as defined above.

 

Commercial Leases

 

Commercial leases shall be used for commercial purposes only and shall be for a term not to exceed forty (40) years. The School District may offer the option of a guaranteed twenty-five (25) year renewal.

 

The rental amount of each lease shall be set at Fair Market Value of the parcel as defined above.

 

Recreational Leases

 

Recreational leases shall be used for recreational purposes only and shall be for a term not to exceed forty (40) years. The School District may offer the option of a guaranteed twenty-five (25) year renewal.

 

The rental amount shall be no less than the annualized potential net value of the parcel if managed as Forest Land. The division of the Mississippi Forestry Commission will provide this estimate upon request.

 

Other Land

 

Land classified as “Other Land” shall be leased for a term not to exceed forty (40) years. The School District may offer the option of a guaranteed twenty-five (25) year renewal.

 

The rental amount of each lease shall be set at Fair Market Value of the parcel as defined above.

 

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EMPLOYMENT OF CONTRACTORS, ARCHITECTS AND ENGINEERS

 

FEAB

 

 

The Board of Trustees, on recommendation of the Superintendent of Schools, shall approve architects and engineers required to perform various professional services regarding major construction and when required by state purchasing laws.

 

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PROJECT PLANNING INVOLVEMENT/ STATE GOVERNMENT

 

FEAG

 

 

New school building construction plans and specifications, including plans for renovation or repair of existing buildings, must be submitted to the State Education Finance Commission for approval when funds from the commission are to be used by the District.

 

MS CODE, Title 37, Chapters 45 and 47

 

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FACILITY EXPANSION BOND SALES

 

FFA/DFD

 

 

This School Board is authorized to issue negotiable bonds of this school district to raise money for the following purposes in accordance with state law.

 

a.       Erecting, repairing, equipping, remodeling and enlarging school buildings and related facilities, including gymnasiums, auditoriums, lunch rooms, vocational training buildings, libraries, teachers' homes, school barns, transportation vehicles and garages for transportation vehicles, and purchasing land therefor.

 

b.       Establishing and equipping school athletic fields and necessary facilities connected therewith, and purchasing land therefor.

 

c.       Providing necessary water, light, heating, air conditioning and sewage facilities for school buildings, and purchasing land therefor.

 

d.       Paying part of the costs to be incurred in erecting, repairing, equipping, remodeling and enlarging school buildings and related facilities which are owned and operated by state-supported institutions of higher education as a demonstration or practice school attended by students, grades of one or more, or parts of grades from the educable children of such school district pursuant to a contract or agreement between said institution and said school district.

 

The authority to issue the bonds hereinabove set forth shall include the authority for this School Board to spend the money for the purposes for which said money is raised.

 

See Bonds and Obligations, §37-59-1 et seq.

 

REDUCED OR INTEREST-FREE DEBT PURSUANT TO FEDERAL LAW

 

Notwithstanding any law or any provision of any law to the contrary, the following additional and supplemental powers and authorizations are hereby granted to each public school district in connection with the issuance of any debt, as defined herein.

 

(a)    For purposes of this act, “debt” means any note, bond, lease or other evidence of indebtedness, that a district is authorized to issue under any provision of law.

 

(b)    Any school district issuing debt may, by resolution of its board of trustees or board of education, do all things regarding the form, payment structure, purchase price and terms of such debt which may be helpful in qualifying the debt for reduced or interest-free treatment under federal law or the regulations promulgated thereunder and to assure that such debt will be readily acceptable in the municipal bond market, provided the same is not inconsistent with the constitution of the state. Provided, however, that nothing in this act shall be construed as allowing a school district to exceed the final maturity term or exceed any debt limitation provided in the applicable state law authorizing the debt.

 

(c)    This act shall be construed to be supplemental and additional to any powers conferred by other laws on school districts and not in derogation of any such powers not existing. The act is remedial in nature and shall be liberally construed. Provided, however, that this act shall not grant any extra authority to a school board to issue debt in any amount exceeding statutory limitations on assessed value of taxable property within such school district or the statutory limitations on debt maturities, and shall not grant any extra authority to impose, levy or collect a tax which is not otherwise expressly provided for. §37-59-301(2000)

 

NOTE: For details and procedures for issuance of bonds see MS Code §37-59-1 et seq. For bonds issued under Section 37-59-21, see MS Code §37-59-23. As to additional powers conferred in connection with issuance of bonds see §37-59-25 and §31-21-5. See also MS Code §37-61-33, Education Enhancement Fund.

 

LEGAL REF.: MS CODE as cited

CROSS REF.: Policy FA — Facility Goals and Objectives

 

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FACILITY EXPANSION STATE LOANS AND GRANTS

 

FFF

 

 

This district may apply to the State Educational Finance Commission for funds for capital outlay and improvements.

 

This district shall comply with appropriate state statutes in applying for and using such funds.

 

The principal fund shall be a permanent township fund which shall consist of funds heretofore or hereafter derived from certain uses or for certain resources of school trust lands which shall be invested and, except as otherwise provided in this section, only the interest and income derived from such funds shall be expendable by the school district.

 

The principal fund shall consist of:

 

(a)             Funds received for easements and rights-of-way pursuant to Section 29-3-91;

 

(b)             Funds received for sales of lieu land pursuant to Sections 293-15 through 29-3-25;

 

(c)             Funds received from any permanent damage to the school trust land;

 

(d)             Funds received from the sale of nonrenewable resources including but not limited to the sale of sand, gravel, dirt, clays and royalties received from the sale of mineral ores, coal, oil and gas;

 

(e)             Funds received from the sale of buildings pursuant to Section 29-3-77; and

 

(f)              Funds received from the sale of timber.

 

It shall be the duty of the Board of Education to keep the principal fund invested in any direct obligation issued by or guaranteed in full as to principal and interest by the United States of America or in certificates or deposit issued by a qualified depository of the State of Mississippi as approved by the State Treasurer. The certificates of deposit may bear interest at any rate per annum which may be mutually agreed upon but in no case shall said rate be less than that paid on passbook savings.

 

The Board of Education is likewise authorized to invest said funds in interest bearing deposits or other obligations of the types described in Section 27-105-33, as the same now is or may hereafter be amended, or in any other type investment in which any other agency, instrumentality or subdivision of the State of Mississippi may invest, except that one hundred percent (100%) of said funds are hereby authorized to be so invested. For the purposes of investment, the principal fund of each township may be combined into one or more district accounts; however, the docket book of the county superintendent shall at all times reflect the proper source of such funds. Provided that funds received from the sale of timber shall be placed in a separate principal fund account, and may be expended for any of the purposes authorized by law.

 

The Board of Education shall have authority to borrow such funds at a rate of interest not less than four percent (4%) per annum and for a term not exceeding twenty (20) years, for the erection, equipment or repair of said district schools, to provide local funds for any building project approved by the State Board of Education or to provide additional funds for forest stand improvement as set forth in Section 29-3-47. In addition, the Board may borrow such funds under the same interest restrictions for a term not exceeding ten (10) years to provide funds for the purchase of school buses. The Board of Education of any school district in any county that has an aggregate amount of assets in its principal fund in excess of Five Million Dollars ($5,000,000.00), may deduct an amount not to exceed Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000.00) for the purpose of covering the cost of asbestos removal from school district buildings. Such asbestos removal shall be construed to constitute the repair of school district facilities as prescribed in Section 29-3-115.

 

No school land trust funds may be expended after the annual payment date until the payment is made on such loan. The annual payment can be made from any funds available to the school district except minimum foundation program funds.

 

It shall be unlawful for the Board of Education to borrow any sixteenth section school funds in any other manner than that prescribed herein, and if any such funds shall be borrowed or invested in any other manner, any officer concerned in making such-loan and investment or suffering the same to be made in violation of the provisions of this section, shall be liable personally and on his/her official bond for the safety of the funds so loaned. §2.9-3-113 (1997)

 

LEGAL REF.: MS CODE cited and Title 37, Chapters 45 and 47.

Also see DFL.

 

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FEDERAL LOANS AND GRANTS

 

FFG

 

 

As appropriate, the Board may seek funds from federal sources to help defray the costs of capital outlay and improvements to school facilities of the district.

 

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PURCHASE OF REAL PROPERTY – SITE ACQUISITION PROCEDURES

 

FGB

 

 

In strict accordance with the state law and city codes, the Board of Trustees may purchase property for the purpose of school construction or renovation of existing school facilities.

 

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PROJECT ADMINISTRATION CONTRACT AWARDS PROCEDURE

 

FGDB/DJED

 

 

All contracts for capital improvements by this school district which are financed in whole or in part with funds received from the state public school building fund pursuant to an application approved by the commission shall be awarded and entered into upon receipt of sealed bids or proposals after the time and place of letting such contracts and the manner of bidding have been duly advertised. The contract shall be let and awarded to the lowest and best bidder but the School Board shall have the power to reject any and all bids. No such contract shall be finally awarded or entered into without the prior written approval of the commission. It is hereby expressly provided that in order to bid upon and be awarded contracts for the construction of school facilities under the provisions of this chapter if such contract, subcontract or undertaking is less than Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00), it shall not be necessary that the bidder obtain a certificate of responsibility from the board of public contractors under the provisions of Chapter 3, Title 31, of the Mississippi Code of 1972, or otherwise be qualified under said chapter, and none of the provisions of said chapter shall be applicable to such contracts for the construction of school facilities under the provisions hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section or any other provision of law, the contract for construction of a secondary vocational and technical training center for exclusive use and operation by a county school district may be entered into and awarded by the Board of Trustees of a junior college district where a grant of federal funds by the Appalachian Commission has been made to the Board of Trustees of such junior college district to assist in financing construction of such secondary vocational and technical training facility for such county school district. §37‑47‑29 (1996)

 

In the letting of public contracts, preference shall be given to resident contractors, and a nonresident bidder domiciled in a state, city, county, parish, nation or political subdivision having laws granting preference to local contractors shall be awarded Mississippi public contracts only on the same basis as the nonresident bidder's state, city, county, parish, nation or political subdivision awards contracts to Mississippi contractors bidding under similar circumstances. Resident contractors actually domiciled in Mississippi, be they corporate, individuals or partnerships, are to be granted preference over nonresidents in awarding of contracts in the same manner and to the same extent as provided by the laws of the state, city, county, parish, nation or political subdivision of domicile of the nonresident. §31-7-47 (1995)

 

PAYMENT PROCEDURES

 

Payment procedures shall be part of the written contract entered into by the Board and companies or firms that are supplying work on school facility expansion projects.

 

LEGAL REF.: MS CODE as cited

CROSS REF.: Policies FA — Facility Goals/Authority

FEAG — Project Planning Involvement State Government

 

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TEMPORARY SCHOOL FACILITIES

 

FI

 

 

If it should become necessary, the Board shall approve the use of portable classrooms. However, the use of such classrooms shall be temporary.

 

REF: Proposed School Board Policy

 

 

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