Great Bend USD 428’s proposed 2023-2024 budget was approved for publication at Monday’s school board meeting, along with the notification of a hearing on its intent to exceed the revenue-neutral tax rate for the 2023-2024 school year. This will appear as a legal notice in the Great Bend Tribune next week.
The RNR hearing will start at 5 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 11 at the District Education Center, 201 South Patton Road. Its purpose is for the board to hear and answer taxpayers’ objections relating to the proposed use of all funds and the amount of tax to be levied.
The public budget hearing will follow at 5:05 p.m. and the regular monthly board meeting will follow at the close of the hearings.
Higher mill levy
According to the published budget, the school district proposes an estimated tax rate of 42.159 mills, compared to 41.595 mills last year. That starts with the 20 mills every Kansas school district is required to assess for the general fund, plus 14.159 mills for the supplemental fund (also called the local option budget or LOB) and 8.0 mills for capital outlay.
The district’s valuation has increased, which means a lower mill levy is needed to raise the same amount of tax money as the year before. The mill levy that would raise the same amount as last year is called the revenue-neutral rate (RNR).
USD 428 will exceed the RNR.
Last year’s tax rates were 20 mills for the general fund, 13.704 mills for the LOB and 7.891 for capital outlay, for a total of 41.595 mills. The 2021-2022 total tax rate was 41.124 mills.
Note: Since 1997, state law has required the first $20,000 of assessed value to be exempted from the statewide levy of 20 mills for K-12 education. The assessed valuation for the general fund rose from nearly $146.5 million in 2022-2023 to just over $163.1 million for 2023-2024. For all other funds (in other words, without the exemption), the valuation rose from $175.12 million to $193.17 million.
One mill is $1 of taxes per $1,000 of assessed value.
GBRC budgets
Great Bend USD 428 taxpayers also pay taxes levied by the Great Bend Recreation Commission. These funds do not go to the school district but the GBRC’s proposed budget and estimated tax rate will appear on the budget notice published by the school district next week.
This year, GBRC proposes a tax rate of 8.0 mills plus 1.75 mills for the employee benefits and special liabilities fund, or a total of 9.750 mills. Last year the total was 9.654 mills and the year before that it was 8.750 mills.
Storm damage exceeded $1.3 million
Preliminary estimates show the July 16 storm caused more than $1.3 million in damage to Great Bend USD 428 property. Superintendent Khris Thexton shared the figures at Monday’s school board meeting but added, “We’re still waiting on more details.”
The district’s insurance deductible for wind and hail is $25,000.
The newly opened Support Services Building at 625 East 10th St. fared better than some facilities but losses there included food spoiled due to the power outage, and broken glass and light fixtures.
Throughout the district, additional employee hours were needed for cleanup. There were temporary roof repairs included in the damage estimates. Quotes are being sought for the cost of permanent roof repairs. Assistant Superintendent John Popp said Lincoln Elementary needs its entire roof replaced. That roof also had to be replaced after a storm in 2014.
Virtually all of the district vehicles were damaged.
Some trees that survived the storm will need to be removed. Thexton said an evergreen in front of Great Bend Middle School is “not safe.”
Enrollment is holding steady
A few students have yet to enroll, but Superintendent Thexton said 2,873 students are enrolled in the district as of this week, which is the same number as the official enrollment date on Sept. 20, 2022. That includes 973 students enrolled at Great Bend High School this year.
Contributions and grants approved
The following grant applications and contributions to Great Bend USD 428 were approved at the Monday, Aug. 14, Board of Education meeting:
• Little Panthers Preschool will receive a CPI Quality of Life Barton County Fund Grant to purchase an Imagination Playground set valued at $4,899. The Great Bend Recreation Commission purchased a similar set of these bright blue, oversized building toys several years ago.
• Lacy Wolters, ACT/Career Coordinator, will receive a $2,000 Midwest Energy, Inc. Internship Grant that provides internship wages/stipends for students interning with local businesses not offering paid internships.
• USD 428 will receive a $1,000 Credit Union of America Grant to purchase cobranded promotional items for staff.
• Leah Yancey, Riley Media Specialist, will receive a $500 Animal Medical Clinic grant to purchase technology robots.
• Dennis and Ros Neeland contributed $50 to the GBHS Vocal Music Department in memory of Nancy Baxter.
Reward incentive contributions were received from:
• Kroger Rewards: $410.31 to Lincoln Elementary and $236.06 to Riley Elementary
• Strawbridge Studios Spring Commission: $215.80 to GBMS, $817.87 to Riley Elementary, $620.98 to Park Elementary, $541.43 to Eisenhower Elementary, and $392.25 to Jefferson Elementary.
• CLC Royalties: $266.02 to the GBHS Athletic Department.
