Colfax school board conducts annual meeting
By Marlys Kruger
COLFAX — With just two people who were not administrators, board members or a local reporter attending the annual meeting, Colfax District Administrator Bill Yingst reported in his third year leading the district on the proposed budget along with the usual business of the meeting July 22 in the high school cafeteria.
In the absence of school board clerk Mike Lee, Christie Hill was appointed clerk for the meeting while board president Don Berge was chosen as chairperson.
Total revenues for the 2013-14 year are projected at $8,397,047.35 and total expenditures are $8,595,757.71 with 80% of that going towards staff salaries and benefits for part-time and full-time employees. As of June 30, the General (Fund 10) balance was $1,714,914.00 and the Donation (Fund 21) was $22,111.00. The Special Education (Fund 27) is always zeroed out and Food Service (Fund 50) is $3,865.00. The exact amount of state aid for the district will not be determined until the middle of October, Yingst stated. The mill rate and tax levy amount will be established at that time but it is expected to increase for one year before dropping again.
Eight resolutions were approved with three of them together including providing for the prosecution or defense for any action or proceeding in which the district is interested, furnishing hot lunches to all students and authorizing the district to sell any personalized property belonging to the district. Resolution # 4 concerned the salary of board members which will remain the same which is $70 per meeting along with the president and clerk receiving $900 per year and directors receiving $550 per year. A change in the amount members will get for attending the State School Board Convention increased slightly from a flat $350 to $100 each day for the four days.
The board approved a tax in the amount of $938,197.00 with the understanding that adjustments will be implemented in October following the September membership count not to exceed state allowable level. Approval for allowing the board to borrow money as needed to meet the immediate expenses of the district was given, and changing the October school board meeting to the fourth Monday of the month was also approved. This will allow the meeting to take place after the Oct. 15 equalized aid release date. The final resolution passed was to exceed the revenue limit on a non-recurring basis by an amount the district will spend on new energy efficiency measures and renewable energy products for the 2013-2014 school year with the amount to be levied and expended as $179,658.00.
School will begin September 3 for students and will end June 4 with an in-service day in April added which can be used for a make up day if needed due to inclement weather. School calenders to district residents will be in the mail shortly with all pertinent information for the upcoming year on them.
With no new business to report on the meeting was adjourned.