Mill levy will jump in USD 398 budget years ago
Staff writer
Peabody-Burns Board of Education took a big plunge Monday evening and agreed to a proposed increase of 5.133 mills. According to school superintendent Tom Alstrom, there will be an increase for local property owners even if the board does nothing. Calculations from a formula provided by the state indicate the taxes on a $50,000 home will increase $8.63 in USD 398 if the board makes no effort to increase school funding. On a $100,000 home the increase will be $17.25 and on farm land it will go up $45.
With the additional 5.133 mills the district needs to support itself for the coming year those amounts will increase to $28.46, $56.93, and $148.50 respectively.
Following considerable discussion the board instructed Alstrom to continue to try to trim the proposed budget before the Aug. 22 publication date. However, board consensus held that there would be a tax increase of some kind for the coming year.
A second issue of impact on the future of the district was discussed. By state regulation USD 398 must revise board member voting districts. Currently the board is comprised of one at-large member, voted on by the entire district, and six members from voting districts within the whole school district. Each internal district must be configured so that its population is within five percent of the others.
"The board can re-draw the lines," said Alstrom. "It can make new boundaries and create new districts."
The board took no action, but will need to review its options and seek a solution that brings it into compliance with the state by November.
In other business, the board:
- was introduced to four new faculty members by high school principal Mary Brown. Science teacher Krystal Bruce, music instructor Jack Coleman, math instructor Kurt Herrel, and Spanish teacher Patrice Jones were present and welcomed by the board.
- heard a thank you note for scholarship funds from Kara Gridley.
- began new business with a student-related executive session. No action was taken on return to open meeting.
- heard preliminary enrollment numbers for the 2006-07 school year. As of Monday the count was 380, up a little from a projected 377.1. The smallest class is the kindergarten class with 14. The highest number are enrolled in both freshman and senior classes with 43 each. Other classes are as follows: first grade, 20; second grade, 24; third grade, 23; fourth grade, 36; fifth grade, 17; sixth grade, 26; seventh grade 27; eighth grade, 36; and junior class, 31.
- heard a proposal to change the criteria for valedictorian and salutatorian. No action was taken pending evaluation from the high school Breaking Ranks team, a group charged with creating positive change in school environment.
- heard information on security issues at the high school.
- appointed Doe Ann Hague and Gary Jones to the negotiations team.
- discussed at length a suitable date for a board retreat, finally settling on Oct. 3.
- approved Kansas Association of School Board policies.
- heard reports from Alstrom, Brown, and Hague.
- entered into an executive session for the purpose of discussing negotiations. Upon return to open meeting, unanimously approved a four percent salary increase for Alstrom, Brown, elementary principal Ken Parry, and high school assistant principal Ray Savage. Also approved was a pay raise for teachers. Base pay went from $27,500 to $29,000.
- entered additional executive sessions for the purpose of discussing a student, acquisition of property, and personnel. No action was taken on return to open session.
