Staff writer
With a chart that showed school district levies for the past eight years, Superintendent Ron Traxson shared news of a significant dip since levies in the 2012-2013 school year were at their highest point.
“With the high school bond and interest payments off the budget this year and plans in place to take advantage of some significant operational savings, we are looking at a good sound budget,” he said. “The trick now will be to keep it at this level.”
District levies during that highest year were 69.130. This year the total levy will be 52.688, a decrease of 17.442.
Traxson also noted that a great deal of what happens with school finance depends on what happens at the state level.
“We’ve been careful with our spending, staffing, and operations,” he said. “Hopefully that will pay off despite what might happen in Topeka.”
School board members gave unanimous approval to a motion to print the budget as presented by Traxson.
In other business:
- The board accepted a $2,000 grant from Peabody Recreation Commission to go toward the cost of new LED lighting in the Brown Gymnasium, a $250 grant for a family food and fitness event, and a $25 donation in memory of Bobbie Harris from the Peabody High School class of 1953.
- Julia Ensminger and Travis Foth will serve as negotiation team members with Terry Eberhard as an alternate.
- Board members entered into two executive sessions to discuss personnel. On return to open session, Traxson was authorized to hire Stephanie Winter as assistant high school volleyball coach and to hire a high school counselor, following the unexpected resignation of PBHS counselor Katie Fooshee.