HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The USD 308 School Board Monday postponed approval of regulations to govern sponsorship and advertising in the district.
Under the proposal, any donation or sponsorship agreement valued at $5,000 or more has to come before the board. Donations and sponsorships from $1,000 to $4,999 will be approved by the superintendent. Lesser amounts have to be approved by the program sponsor.
Requests for donations or sponsorships will be handled by the district on a first-come, first-served basis.
Key to the rules, though, is that all advertising must be appropriate for all ages of students and not promote anything in violation of state law or district regulations. Information about advertising and sponsorship will be posted on the district website.
Board members expressed concern about the current draft not including specific language that would include requests for proposals for certain initiatives. Members also suggested a strict prohibition against “serial invoicing” so that a sponsor would not be able to invoice for an amount just below $1,000 for several months to avoid the regulations. Members also wanted additional clarification in some other areas, such as permanent vs. non-permanent signage.
The Board tabled the regulation for action at a future meeting.
The board did approve a contract with Stutzman Refuse and Disposal for $3,078.28 a month, nearly $2,000 a year less than the previous contract. No other bids were received for the service.