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J-M board approves 10 percent tax hike

By Steve Ostrosky 4 min read

JEFFERSON – Rather than tap into a $1 million fund balance, members of the Jefferson-Morgan School Board voted Wednesday to adopt an $11.1 million 2005-06 budget that calls for a nearly 10 percent tax increase. Homeowners will now pay 22.2911 mills in property taxes, an increase of 1.98 mills from the 2004-05 rate of 20.3111 mills. A person who owns a $100,000 home will see his or her property tax bill rise by $198, to $2,229.11.

Wednesday’s vote marked the first time in 11 years that the school board approved a millage increase. Directors Frank Burich and Mark Pochron voted against the budget, while director Mark Starostanko was absent.

Charles Barno, who chairs the finance committee, said the board could have chosen to take money from the fund balance to cover the $297,000 in increases for 2005-06.

“We could have taken some this year and next year, but at some point, we would have needed a large millage increase,” he said. “It would have been easier to worry about it later, but this was the responsible thing to do to keep the district solvent.”

He said the $11,140,789 budget does not reflect new initiatives in the district, but includes funds for a new administrative software program and other cost increases, including health care and fuel costs.

Ellen Hildebrand, board vice president, said the district has had to absorb the revenue the district lost from the closing of Dilworth Mine, which made up $400,000, or 4 percent of the district’s total budget. “We’ve absorbed that loss for a few years, but how long can we continue to do that?” she asked.

According to information from the budget, salaries and benefits comprise almost 71 percent of the spending plan.

In another matter, the president of the Jefferson-Morgan Cheerleading Boosters asked the board about requirements that a specific number of students are given spots on the varsity and junior high cheerleading squads.

Natalie Greenlee said that tryouts were held in April and were held with the athletic director and an administrator present, and all girls who tried out were told in advance of the scoring and what score was needed to make either squad.

“It is not our goal that Jefferson-Morgan cheerleading intimidate or humiliate anyone,” she said. “We hoped to establish some consistency in a program that has been lacking it in the past.”

Hildebrand said the board established a policy three years ago that it would authorize the purchase of 20 uniforms for each squad and that each team contain that number of members. “The board decided to go with 20 uniforms for each so that 20 had the opportunity to participate,” she said. “When the board makes a decision, a coach shouldn’t make changes without going through the chain of command.”

After tryouts, only 10 junior high girls were chosen for that squad, and 17 girls were chosen for the varsity squad. Greenlee said there are 19 varsity cheerleaders and 16 junior high cheerleaders for 2005-06 as of Wednesday.

Members of the boosters said they were never made aware that 20 girls had to be chosen for each squad, and their organization’s constitution states that the coach can take “up to 20.”

Board members said the matter should be referred to the athletic committee before taking any action about the policy.

Among other business, directors also approved the cafeteria fund budget of $408,838.61 and the athletic fund budget of $17,000 for the 2005-06 school year.

The board accepted the retirements of Shirley Parker, elementary teacher, and Mary Lou Niverth, secondary teacher, granted tenure to Nicole Szerensci, speech/language therapist, and accepted the resignation of athletic director Lisa Olson effective at the end of the current academic year.

Directors also voted to seek bids for food service for the 2005-06 year, though Pochron asked whether soliciting bids now will give the district enough time to get a provider in place by the start of the new school year.

Mark Grimes joined Pochron in voting against the motion.

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