Board may abate 40 percent of tax levy

The Carrier Mills-Stonefort school board may abate a portion of the school bond levy, discussed opening of bids for mowing the school grounds and discussed the uncertain future on state funding for schools during the March 16 meeting.

The board debating $40,000 or about 40 percent of the school bond levy. The board plans for this abatement to insure that property rates in the district are lower the last year, even with change in the Equalized Tax Valuation by the assessor's office.

The district will begin accepting bids for mowing services on the school grounds by mid to late March. Companies should be insured and any questions can be addressed to the district superintendent at the high school.

The board took note of the state-Wide PARCC testing ongoing in the schools. A concern among districts in the state was the ability of the schools computer systems to successfully process the large amount of data storage and data transmission that accompanied the new, computer based testing. The board was informed the district's computers were proving capable of the new testing demands.

The board heard from superintendent Richard Morgan as to the fairly gloomy prognosis on state funding. Morgan stated that, due to the termination of funding from the state income tax, a possible cut of two of the four Mandated Funding Categories and a very probable cut of 2.75 percent in General State Aid, the financial future is not good for the school budget.

"We have budgeted to, and should be, in the black this year," Morgan told the board. "If the very real possibilities (of funding cuts) do materialize, we will be in the red."

In addition, Morgan told the board that while Governor Rauner has proposed an increase in kindergarten through 12th grade General State Funding, he has not stated what cuts in other school-related funding he plans to make. Also, the legislature plans to make "massive" cuts in the state budget and it is unclear as to how this will affect schools. Morgan added that it will be the end of the fiscal year before there is definite information to work with.

In other action the board:

Accepted the resignation of Katie Grathler from the position of Dance Team Coach.

Accepted an intent to retire letter from grade school instructor Christy Lewis.

Approved the hiring of Zeb Sanderson as a part-time Individual Aid Worker for the remainder of the school year.

Approved as voluntary assistants Mark Hutchison, Steve Figg, Brian Walker, Tom Hancock, Art Hunt and Roger Snodgrass.