6-mill tax hike possible for USD 410
Staff writer
Hillsboro USD 410 would need to increase local property taxes about 6 mills to avoid any more budget cuts while keeping district funds stable, Superintendent Steve Noble told the Board of Education on Monday. That amounts to increased property taxes of about $69 on house appraised at $100,000.
If the district keeps its overall tax rate the same, the capital outlay fund will be depleted in 2014, Noble said. That fund is used to purchase buses and other vehicles, make repairs to school facilities, and make other purchases or repairs on buildings and equipment.
The board will set the budget and tax rates in August.
Contracts approved
After a 20-minute closed session, the board approved several personnel changes.
The board approved a contract non-renewal resolution for middle school language arts teacher Michele Melton.
The board accepted the resignation of middle school social studies teacher Tonja Wienck and the retirements of middle school at-risk aide Janet Hein and high school custodian Betty Medley.
The board also eliminated a Wiebe Media Center after-school aide position, currently held by Eileen Rader.
The board then re-hired Melton as a one-eighth-time middle school reading teacher and seven-eighths-time at-risk aide.
The board also offered contracts to other teachers who had their contracts non-renewed. Doug Dick was offered a contract as elementary school physical education teacher, and Gita Noble was offered a contract as a part-time math teacher.
Contracts for principals Greg Brown, Max Heinrichs, and Evan Yoder were approved, as were contracts for classified administrators and classified staff.
In other business:
- An agreement with Kansas Learns Online for online classes was approved.
- Heinrichs spoke about Hillsboro High School’s expanded career and technical classes, which will be offered in the 2011-12 school year. Thirty students have signed up for meteorology, one of the new offerings, he said.
- The fee for driver’s education will increase from $150 to $225 because the district will use Buhler High School’s online driver’s education program for classroom work and must pay Buhler $75 per student.
- The Insurance Center, Hillsboro, will provide the district’s property and casualty insurance for 2011-12 at a price of $60,300. Fee Insurance Group bid $83,714.
- Fee Insurance Group will provide the district’s workers compensation insurance for 2011-12 at a price of $23,855. The Insurance Center bid $24,883.
- Troy Hett of Tampa had the high bid to purchase a vehicle lift from the school, at a price of $750.
- The board approved selling a laptop computer to former teacher Shirley Baltzer for the depreciated price of $707.
- The district will donate a laptop computer, at least five years old, to Hillsboro Golf Course.
The next scheduled board meeting is 7 p.m. July 11.