The Gillett School District annual meeting was quiet and businesslike Thursday night as school officials proposed a significant tax increase to residents.
Superintendent Todd Carlson told the audience a 16 percent hike in the tax levy was needed to cover significant decreases in general state aid to the district. He said when state aid is cut, school districts are forced to make up the difference to cover costs, which usually results in a higher tax levy.
Voters at the meeting reviewed a 2013-14 budget of $7.347 million for the district’s general fund and overall expenditures of $9.609 million, an increase of less than 1 percent from 2012.
While this number isn’t an excessive increase, the difficulty in managing the budget stems from the losses of state aid to the district, Carlson said. State aid of $4.220 million will provide 58 percent of the district’s revenue in 2013-14, down from 61 percent from last year. As a result, the community was asked to provide 35 percent of the revenue in the form of taxes to maintain the standard the district has provided in education. That’s an 8 percent increase from the 27 percent taxpayers provided last year and resulted in a tax levy of $3.040 million.
Taxpayers will pay $11 per $1,000 of equalized value; residents owning $100,000 in property will pay $1,100 for the school portion of their property tax bill.
Approximately 70 people attended the annual meeting, and five residents voted against the $3.040 million tax levy proposed by school officials. No one spoke openly about the increase in taxes, but three people expressed concern over the football stadium debt carried by the district.
Former school administrator Stu Rivard questioned the board about the $154,000 debt, stating his frustration with having the debt on the tax roll. He said he understood the project was to be financed by fundraising efforts and not become a district responsibility. Ann Wasmund and Del Miller expressed similar concerns.
“We knew going into it they wouldn’t be able to raise that much money that fast,” responded School Board Treasurer Cliff Gerbers, referring to the Gillett Youth Football Club.
In 2011, the Gillett Youth Football Club began to raise money to rebuild the 700-seat grandstand area. The four-phase project was estimated to cost $400,000 for the seats, fencing, press box and stadium enclosure. The board requested the club raise a minimum of $50,000 to show commitment to the project.
In the summer of 2011 an anonymous donor acquired naming rights to the field with a donation of $100,000, naming the facility in honor of 1958 graduate Franklin J. Runge. The club raised another $30,000 for the project.
“We were pleased they took the bull by the horns and did what they did,” Gerbers said. “It looks very nice.
“They are continuing to raise funds,” added School Board President Miles Winkler.
With the offer of $130,000 from the football club, the board agreed to borrow $154,000 over five years to aid in the completion of the plan. Short of a new concession stand and some finishing to the storage area behind the bleachers, the project has been completed.
Club representative Jeff Lemens, who helped spearhead the project, was unable to be reached for comment.
Residents at the annual meeting also approved a raise for School Board members, at the request of former School Board President Mark Winkler. He said board members devote a significant amount of personal time for meetings and perform an important role in the community.
With a 18-6 vote, compensation was increased from $50 to $100 for regular meetings, $20 to $50 for special meetings and $50 to $100 for daytime workshops.
Categories
