Glenwood City school board finalizes 2023-24 budget, adopts new mill rate
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GLENWOOD CITY — At its October 23 regular meeting, the Glenwood City school board approved the final 2023-234 all fund tax levy and this year’s district budget.
Since the annual meeting and budget hearing, which was held August 21, the school board has been discussing and contemplating four different budget scenarios for 2023-24 which would add an additional $300,000 to $900,000 to the Fund 80 Levy from which Community Education derives its funding.
After nearly two months, the board opted to add an additional $700,000 to Fund 80 which will bring its balance to nearly $2.7 million. That along with a current budget of $9,468,445 were unanimously approved in a 7-0 board vote Monday evening.
The new mill rate of 8.12383 is slightly more than the 8.09 that was adopted during the annual meeting. That means district taxpayers can expect to shell out about $8.12 per $1,000 of assessed value on their property.
The 2023 final equalized valuation for the Glenwood City School District of $432,283,038 represents a double-digits increase of 15.2 percent over the previous year.
The board and administration have been studying storage space in the district buildings as they have been formulating a plan for a community education area that can be located inside the current buildings’ footprints. Under former superintendent Tim Johnson, that board had entertained the idea of a new, free standing structure for community education which would have also accommodated the Tiny Toppers and Hilltopper Hangtime programs.
With the new infusion of funds into the community education coffers, the board can begin to look at areas in the current buildings that could be designated for community education and use Fund 80 monies to begin much needed repairs to the roof and boiler system piping in those areas.
According to Department of Public Instruction (DPI) regulations, Fund 80 monies can only be used for community education-related items.
District administrator Patrick Olson told members during the committee meeting the preceded Monday night’s regular session that these funds would help in getting away from constructing a separate building for community education to using the spaces that are already available in the current buildings.
Olson also informed the board that the district has expended $730,000 making repairs to the buildings and facilities in the past few months, some of which was caused by July’s storm.
The recent revenue cap increase of $1,000 per pupil will provide an additional $682,000 to the district for the 2023-24 fiscal year.
The board also approved several items under the consent agenda and action items portions of its agenda.
•High school/middle school administrative assistant Casey Nolde was approved as a substitute teacher.
•A retirement request from Food Service Coordinator Sherry Crosby, effective June 30, 2024, was accepted. Crosby has served in that position for 23 years.
•$1,635 donation raised from proceeds of the recent M&M Golf Tournament was accepted on behalf of the school’s golf program.
•The donation of $3,430 from the Glenwood City FFA Alumni to cover the traveling expenses of FFA members and advisors that will be attending the upcoming National FFA Convention was approved.
•An anonymous local donation of $10,000 to the band program was accepted.
•The 2023-24 Challenge Academy report, the Summer and Interim report, and an annual module report were all approved.
Following discussion over the past four meetings, the board final gave its unanimous approval for the Glenwood City FFA Alumni to host donkey basketball in the elementary gym.
Finally, the hiring of Donna Estep was approved. She will fill the newly created full-time paraprofessional position for the special education department.
