Royal Valley proposing slight slight mill levy decrease for its 2016-2017 school year

The Royal Valley Board of Education is proposing a slight decrease in its mill levy for the 2016-2017 school year. 

During a special board meeting Monday evening, board members agreed to propose a budget funded by 47.396 mills for the coming school year, which is a half a mill less than last year’s 47.897 mills. The board budgeted 42.555 mills during the 2014-2015 school year.

“There’s not a whole lot of change from last year,” said Superintendent Aaric Davis.

The new proposed budget includes levying 20 mills for the general fund, 19.396 mills for the Local Option Budget (LOB) and 8 mills for capital outlay. 

The biggest difference for the budget year, Davis said, is that due to the block grant system, the LOB and capital outlay state aid are no longer routed through the district’s general fund. KPERS, which is state retirement funding, is still flowing through the general fund for the upcoming budget year, Davis said.

The new state finance plan for education passed in June by lawmakers to equalize school funding resulted in USD 337 receiving a $69,000 decrease in LOB state aid and a $48,000 increase in capital outlay state aid, it was reported. 

“The 8 mills we levy for capital outlay is bringing in a little bit more money for a couple of reasons,” Davis said. “First, they’re fully funding it instead of prorating it this year so there’s an extra $48,000. At the same time, the district’s assessed valuation is up about $1.1 million.”

For the new school term, the district’s assessed valuation has been set at $31,265,374, up from last year’s $30,100,043. For the 2014-2015 year, the district’s valuation was $28,938,647.

Total expenditures budgeted for in the coming year are proposed at $15,387,123.

“There’s some extra padding in there to make sure we don’t have to republish the budget any time throughout the year,” Davis said. “That’s not the actual amount we are going to spend. It’s the amount we have the authority to spend.”

The total local taxes levied for the coming year are proposed at $1,413,012, compared to $1,373,819 last school year. 

The district is paying off $2,695,000 in lease purchase principal, which is down from last year’s $3,040,000.

For the 2015-2016 school year, the district was ranked the 264th lowest out of 286th school districts in the state for its assessed valuation per pupil, Davis said. The statewide median assessed valuation per pupil in Kansas was $74,265. At Royal Valley, it was almost exactly half that at $37,156.

The board approved a motion to publish the proposed budget, and it appears on page 13 of this issue of The Holton Recorder.  

A hearing for the budget has also been set for 8 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 8, at the district office in Mayetta.

In other business, the board:

* Approved consent items.

* Approved the purchase and installation of a steamer oven and kettle for the high school kitchen from Sunflower Restaurant Supply at a total cost of $33,649.

* Accepted the resignations of Wayne Berry (parents as teacher position) and Dave Barta (assistant baseball coach). The board also extended employment contracts to Sandra Crites (middle school kitchen position) and Doug Spencer (assistant middle school football coach).

* Ratified the district health insurance agreement. The district’s contribution will be $435 per employee per month for a health plan through Lifestyle Health Plans. Last year, the district contributed $410 per employee, Davis reported.

* Adjourned the meeting at 7:50 p.m. Board members Boone Smith, Pat Tuck and Ann Kelly were absent from the meeting. No executive sessions were needed.