USD 253 Emporia is considering what course of action to take regarding recent legislation at the state level as it works towards a finalized 2022 budget.
Like the Emporia City Commission Wednesday morning, the Board of Education Wednesday discussed the impact of Senate Bill 13 and the revenue-neutral rate on the district’s coming budget Wednesday evening. The neutral rate — the difference between current and past year valuations — essentially means that no “taxing entities” will see an increase in dollars in the coming fiscal year, unless a resolution is passed to exceed the neutral rate by the governing body
Assistant Superintendent of Business Operations Rob Scheib says the neutral rate essentially gives the district two options for the 2022 budget. Either the district will proceed with the neutral rate or exceed it.
Scheib says choosing to stick with the neutral rate could further tighten the district’s budget in the coming year.
Scheib says exceeding the neutral rate would give the district more “breathing room” in the coming fiscal year and could give the district an additional $530,000 — $10,000 per mill — however, the district will not have the formal valuation estimate until September. Scheib says the district is simply in the “education phase” at this time with additional conversations to come in the next few months.
In other business, the board approved proposed horizontal and vertical movement for staff salaries for the coming school year. The total approved movement is $442,774.96 based on employees from the 2020-21 school year.
During the consent agenda portion of the meeting, the board also approved the appointment of former Emporia Middle School Associate Principal and Assistant Athletic Director and current principal of West Middle School in Lawrence Dr. Brad Kempf to the interim Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources position. Kempf will fill the vacancy left by current Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Kelly Bolin who is set to retire at the start of July.
The USD 253 Board of Education will next convene on Wednesday, Jun. 23 at 7 pm inside the Mary Herbert Education Center.
