School board approves 2021-22 budget; property tax rate to remain the same

By James Grob, jgrob@charlescitypress.com

The Charles City School District Board of Directors approved the district’s 2021-22 certified budget at its meeting Monday night.

The budget has no property tax rate increase and a 1 percentage point surtax increase from 6% to 7%.

“For six years in a row, we have kept the property tax rates stable in our district,” said Charles City Superintendent of Schools Mike Fisher. “I think that’s an important thing to mention.”

Fisher said that board Treasurer Terri O’Brien has worked hard to keep the district fiscally responsible and good stewards of the taxpayers’ money.

The budget tax rates include a $10.65 general fund levy; a $0.56 management fund levy; a $0.33 board-approved PPEL; and generating the voter approved $1.34 PPEL levy through property tax of $1.20, totaling a rate of $12.75 per $1,000 of assessed taxable valuation.

Despite the levy rate staying the same, property taxes collected will increase 6.4%, or an additional $465,000 over the current fiscal year, mostly because of increased property valuation in the district.

The Supplemental State Aid for public school districts for 2021-22 was approved by the Iowa state Legislature at 2.4%.

The board held a public hearing on the 2021-22 budget before the vote to approve. There were no oral or written public comments.

In other business on Monday, the board approved a resolution directing the sale of approximately $7,892,000 school infrastructure sales, services and use tax revenue refunding bonds to First Security Bank and Trust.

Matthew Gillespie of Piper-Sandler explained that the sale will save the school district more than $70,000 per year over seven years, saving the taxpayers more than $500,000.

Piper Sandler distributed offering terms to prospective purchasers for review the week of March 22 as part of the school infrastructure sales, services and use tax revenue refunding bonds. This bond will refinance the existing series 2013 and 2015 on the middle school bond debt.

Also on Monday, the board approved a weight room equipment bid from Johnson Fitness & Wellness, totaling $189,459.

Tom Harskamp, activities director, had prepared a list of weight room equipment needed for the Armory location along with students, coaches, and Synergy input. The list was sent to two consortiums, the National Co-op Program, awarded to Johnson Fitness & Wellness, and the Iowa Department of Administrative Services (DAS), awarded to Gopher Sports.

The lower of the two bids was Johnson Fitness and Wellness. This expense will be paid from COVID funding as it is needed to distance athletics while training.

The equipment will be ready to install and use in 4-8 weeks.

In other action on Monday, the board approved a Comet field fencing bid from River City Fence for $87,950. This includes removing 4,000 feet of fence and installing 4000 feet of four-foot high black fence around Comet Field.

The Comet Field Fencing project was approved as part of the fiscal year 2021 projects. The project budget is $80,000. Two bids were received, River City Fence and Cardis Fence & Iron Co., with River City the lower bid.

The old fencing will be utilized to fence in the field at the Old College Grounds.

The school board also:

• Saw a presentation by FFA students of their recent contest performance.

• Saw a presentation from faculty members Marie Conklin, Kara Shannon, Marcia DeVore, Scotti Hagensick, David Voves and Kellie Boggess, who updated the board on the Leader in Me project.

• Saw a presentation from Joe Taylor, CCMS principal, who presented information on the new middle school math curriculum.

• Approved the appointment of Laura Smith, 9th-grade softball coach, at a salary of $2,675, effective April 12.

• Approved the appointment of Nanette Smith, Washington Elementary principal, at a salary of $108,000, effective July 1.

• Approved the transfer of Larry Wolfe, from the position of high school associate principal to the position of innovative campus principal, at a salary of $100,000, effective July 1.

• Approved the resignation of Victoria Brandon, middle school special education teacher, effective May 25.

• Approved the resignation of Leslie Staudt, 9th-grade wrestling coach, effective April 12.

• Approved the resignation of LeAnn Smith, middle school reading teacher, effective May 28.

• Approved the resignation of Brian Bohlen, assistant varsity football coach, effective April 12.

• Approved the resignation of Mike Jung, 9th-grade football coach, effective April 12.

• Approved a memorandum of understanding with Luther College for 2021-22, for the student teacher education program.