Surplus items, approving two additional communication methods, tax rates, and a new contract for physical therapy were all items on the agenda at the special called school board meeting on Tuesday.
The board set a tax rate of 57.3 cents per $100 of assessed value after hearing from Lincoln Theinert, a municipal advisor with RSA Advisors.
Theinert explained to the board members the need for the tax rate to be set at 57.3 cents, which totals a 3 percent increase from last year’s rate of 54.3 cents. The tax rate would cost a homeowner of property valued at $100,000 an additional $30 a year.
The additional revenue would generate matching funding for the school system from the state level that would continue every year. He said the district could expect an additional $791,000 in state funding annually.
The funds would allow the district to renovate or maintain the current schools and help offset the payment on the new middle school.
Theinert said the funding would also strengthen educational resources for students across the district, and the additional funding availability will help support classroom materials, technology upgrades, along with the facility improvements.
“The state will continuously increase the amount that is given to [Adair County] each year,” said Theinert.
Board Member Troy Grider voiced his support for the new tax rate after commenting that, “I am probably the most conservative person sitting here.
“I am never really for saying we are going to raise taxes, but when you think about what is important to me and taxpayers in the county. We have cleaned up books, cut back and scaled back and really reigned in spending over the last year, year and a half,” he said.
Superintendent Jason Faulker replied that in the last year, spending was cut by $2 million.
Grider continued: “It is not like we haven’t done everything we can…I see the need. I see where us as a school district have helped ourselves. We have gone to the extent to scale back and come up with the funds that we have [met] what we hear from people all the time about our needs, so I would be for it.”
Members of the board voted unanimously for the recommended tax rate.
The approved rate requires a public hearing and is subject to recall. A hearing will be held on Aug. 21 at the board of education building, 1204 Greensburg St. from 7:30 a.m. through 8:30 a.m.
Other Topics
Senate Bill 181 mandates that all forms of communication between school employees or volunteers and students must be traceable and approved by the school board. Google classroom is used on non-traditional education days and Edmentum is used for virtual students. The board approved to use both.
The weight room at the high school has recently undergone a renovation. Faulkner told board members that Athletic Director Tyler Maskill ordered about $15,000 worth of equipment. Maskill funded the equipment with athletic department funds and donations.
“Tyler Maskill and I spent a day in there a few weeks ago. We repainted in there and replaced all the lights with LEDs…I told him if he would replace the equipment from the athletic fund that I would kick in some level 1 funds to replace the dumb bells.”
Faulkner said that the metal dumb bells were rusted and would be replaced with rubber coated dumb bells. The request is to surplus and sell the equipment and the money generated from the sale would go back to the level 1 fund.
The board members also voted to sign a contract with TJ Regional Health Physical Therapy for the next school year. Each year, they sign a contract with a company to offer physical therapy. This was also approved unanimously.
By Amy Pike
amy@adairvoice.com
