Local school district budget accepted

The Kimball Board of Education set their 2017-18 budget and final tax request at the Sept. 11 regular board meeting.

Though the total amount of taxes requested has changed, those fluctuations are due to property valuations as opposed to the district’s tax request. The board set their levy at $1.04 for the fourth consecutive year, according to board president Lynn Vogel.

“We have tried to be consistent with that (tax request),” Superintendent Marshall Lewis said.

In 2014-15 that levy request totaled $555 million for the district, the following year it was $587 million, then fell to $560 million in 2016-17 and will amount to $571 million for the district in the 2017-18 school year.

“We spend all of our money because we are not well-supported by the state,” Lewis said.

Anticipated state funding for the Kimball school district is just less than $48,000 because the district is not equalized, whereas the same support amounted to $1.6 million 14 years ago. This figure is calculated by dividing our land mass by the number of students in our district.

Additionally, the district plans to build a three month cash reserve as well.

“We do have $150,000 going to the special building funds,” superintendent Marshall Lewis said.

That fund is used to pay for necessary repairs, and may be needed sooner rather than later, as the high school roof is in need of repair. Lewis brought a quote to the board to fix a portion, totaling $89,780 from Fisher Roofing.

“This will be approximately more than one-third of the area over the student center, library and classrooms,” Lewis said. “It would not include the auditorium, gymnasium and locker room areas.”

The proposed area is where the roof is leaking the most, according to Lewis, where the current roofing is ballasted. The proposal includes the same material previously used for repairs, which does not include a heavy plastic barrier and ballasting, but instead is a heat-sealed asphalt-like material.

“This is not new technology,” board member Brad Reader said. “I would like to... make sure this is the best option at the best price.”

This particular repair is not covered by insurance and board members asked Lewis to return next month with more information and options.