DBEA – Budget Committee

Organization, Membership and Terms of Office

The ESD budget committee will consist of the seven members of the Board and seven electors plus one who are appointed by the Board from component district boards, or designees of component district boards, as required by law. Terms of the appointed members of a budget committee in an ESD that prepares an annual budget will be three years each with appointments made so that, as nearly as practicable, the terms of one-third of the members expire each year. Appointive members of a budget committee in an ESD that prepares a biennial budget shall be appointed to four-year terms. The terms shall be staggered so that as near as practicable, one-fourth of the terms of the appointive members end each year. The Board will establish appropriate timelines and procedures for nomination and appointment of budget committee members.

A majority of the constituted committee is required for passing an action item. Majority for a 15-member budget committee is 8. Therefore, if only 8 members are present, a unanimous vote is needed for passing an action item.

Presiding Officer and Orientation of Budget Committee

1. Organization: The budget committee will hold its first regular organizational meeting on a day set by the Board. A presiding officer shall be elected from among its members at this meeting. Such meeting may be prior to or on the date the budget message and document are presented.
2. Background Information: Budget committee members will be provided with data for the ensuing year, such as the Board’s educational plan, and other pertinent material bearing on the preparation of a budget.

Meetings of the Budget Committee

The budget committee shall hold one or more meetings to receive the budget message, the budget document and to provide members of the public with an opportunity to ask questions about and comment on the budget document. The budget officer shall announce the time and place for all meetings, as provided by law. All meetings of the budget committee are open to the public. Minutes shall be taken, made available and retained in accordance with the Public Meetings Law.

Function of the Budget Committee

It is the function of the budget committee to prepare budget estimates for the ESD’s own expenses and for its operational and administrative services in accordance with the local service plan and as previously determined by the Board. No new program should be considered for the budget estimate that has not previously been submitted to the Board and approved as a part of the educational plan. The budget committee will determine levels of spending, but will not determine programs.

Final Action

The budget committee will approve an estimated budget document for submission to the Board.

END OF POLICY

Legal Reference(s):

• ORS 174.130
• ORS 192.610 to -192.710
• ORS 294.305 to -294.565
• ORS 334.240
• OAR 581-024-0262