Due to state statutes, the USD 253 Board of Education will have no decision except to exceed the revenue-neutral rate for the coming fiscal year.
That was the report from USD 253 Assistant Superintendent of Business Operations Rob Scheib during the board’s recent meeting Wednesday. The reason being is that the district is bound by state statute — KSA 725142 — to levy 20 mills each year which goes directly to the state and is later returned to school districts as state aid.
The neutral rate — included in Senate Bill 13 — is the difference between current and past year valuations and does not allow “taxing entities” to have an increase in dollars in the coming fiscal year unless a resolution is passed to exceed the neutral rate by the governing body.
Scheib says exceeding the neutral rate will not have any impact on local taxpayers.
Scheib reports that the district’s valuations are up by roughly five percent from 2020. The estimated budget total comes out to $33 million and will carry a mill levy of right around 53.5 mills, which is in line with years past.
The budget will need to be certified to the Lyon County Clerk by Oct. 1. Budget discussions are expected to continue in the coming weeks.
In other business, the board received their latest update from the district’s COVID-19 advisory committee. According to the report from Superintendent Dr. Allison Anderson Harder plans are to continue with the district’s current COVID policies that were approved during the May 26 meeting.
The district will consider an update to the operations plan later in July and will see a consideration of implementing strategies for influenza and contact tracing procedures may be adjusted in the near future. The advisory committee will not meet again until Aug. 2 unless there is a spike in cases or other significant concern that warrants a meeting.
Separately Wednesday, board members discussed recruitment and retention efforts.
In the consent agenda, where several items can be handled with one vote, the board formally accepted the resignation of Emporia Middle School Assistant Principal Jacob Linnell while selecting Aaron Clark to serve as the middle school’s head football coach.
The USD 253 Board will next convene on Wednesday, Jul. 14 at 7 pm inside the Mary Herbert Education Center.
