Elk Mound school tax levy to increase by $433,000

Tax levy set at $3.08 million

By LeAnn R. Ralph

ELK MOUND — At the Elk Mound Area School District’s annual meeting August 27, electors set the school tax levy at $3,077,839 million, representing a $433,299 increase over last year.

According to the budget summary, a decrease in state aid is causing the increase in the school tax levy.
Property taxes are projected to increase by $151 per $100,000 of equalized value.

The total expenditures for all funds for this year are projected at $14.6 million, compared to $15.6 million for last year.

Total expenditures for the general fund are projected at $10.7 million for this year compared to $10.3 million for last year.

The projected mill rate of $10.91 per $1,000 of equalized value for 2012-2013 compares to a mill rate of $9.40 per $1,000 for 2011-2012.

Out of the mill rate of $10.91, $3.08 is for debt service, and $7.83 is for the general fund.

The school district’s equalized value decreased by 3.3 percent in 2011-2012 to $281 million, compared to $291 million in 2010-2011.

Valuation in the Village of Elk Mound decreased by $1.5 million between 2010 and 2011, decreased by about $100,000 in the Town of Howard, decreased by over $4 million in the Town of Wheaton, decreased by about $180,000 in the Town of Colfax, decreased by about $700,000 in the Town of Elk Mound, decreased by about $35,000 in the Town of Red Cedar, decreased by $8.5 million in the Town of Spring Brook, and increased by about $100,000 in the Town of Union.

The total projected enrollment for 2012-2013 is 483 for Mound View Elementary, 316 for Elk Mound Middle School, and 315 for Elk Mound High School, for a total enrollment of 1,114.

Other business
In other business at the annual meeting of the Elk Mound school district, a motion was approved to leave school board officer salaries at $1,500 per year and at $1,300 for board members, that mileage correspond with the rate set for district personnel equal to the Internal Revenue Service rate, and that outside district travel remain at $90 per diem plus actual and necessary expenses.

Other regular business

During the regular Board of Education meeting held prior to the annual meeting, the Elk Mound school board:

• Welcomed Lexi Grossbier as the student council representative to the Elk Mound Board of Education.

• Approved the 2012-2013 teacher handbook with salary and stipend guide. The salary and stipend guide will require teachers to apply for a promotion in order to receive an increase in salary rather than automatically moving up the pay scale based on credits of continuing education and years of experience. Bill Moore, school board member, cautioned the board and the administration to be sure to document reasons for placement on the salary scale and for reasons for promotion to avoid lawsuits for discrimination.

The Elk Mound Board of Education meets next on September 17.