By DAVID COLBURN

News editor

Tabor College’s Jim Paulus, vice president for student life, was selected by USD 410 board members Monday to fill a board position left vacant in April elections.

The board interviewed Paulus and Dallas Bartel, an employee of Rod’s Tire and Services. No candidate filed for the open seat for the election. John O. Dalke, whose name was drawn from eight one-vote write-ins, declined the position.

Paulus is a Tabor graduate who returned to Hillsboro four years ago after living in California for 15 years. He said appreciation for what Hillsboro schools have offered for his four children motivated him to seek the position.

The board voted 4-1 to approve Paulus. Rod Koons cast the dissenting vote.

Mark Rooker was elected board president, succeeding Eddie Weber. Koons was chosen vice president.

Slight surplus

Financial manager Jerry Hinerman said possibly the district will end the year with a surplus of about $16,000 in its operating funds.

Superintendent Steve Noble said the district avoided “doom and gloom” predictions through cost-cutting measures and favorable winter weather, which limited heating costs.

The district had to spent about $80,000 from its supplemental local option budget. To replenish that account for 2015-16, Noble said, the district will have to increase its tax rate by 2.5 mills.

County clerk Tina Spencer said a homeowner with an assessed value of $80,000 would see about a $23 increase in property tax, which would be a 4.15 percent increase on just the school’s portion of the overall tax bill.

Noble said this was about the same as a tax cut last year after the legislature voted to provide state aid for local option budgets. The legislature rescinded that aid this spring.

The board voted to move ahead with a plan to replace dilapidated bleachers in the middle school gym at a total cost of about $40,000.

“It’s time,” Noble said. “Our current bleachers are not only a liability hazard, but they’re out of code. There’s not a code they meet.”

The old bleachers have no aisles, and Noble said he had received complaints from elderly patrons who found it difficult or impossible to climb them. The replacement will be done between volleyball and basketball seasons.

The cost of full-price lunches will increase five cents this year, as will the price of extra milk. Those who qualify for reduced-price lunches won’t see an increase because of food program regulations.

Noble reported that renovations to the north playground at Hillsboro Elementary School were nearly complete. New equipment has been installed, and workers will pour resilient surfacing this week.