| The Sun-Times Serving Williamsville and Sherman |
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School board approves tentative levy
By Byron Painter
Editor
The Williamsville School Board approved a tentative levy Monday night at the regular monthly meeting.
The levy was for 18 percent, but that is only to “capture all new growth,” in the words of Superintendent
Dave Root.
The vote was 7-0 in favor of the levy, which is the same as last year.
The levy will be finalized at next month’s meeting, to be Dec. 14.
Williamsville is a tax-capped district, meaning it can only levy so much; it is also linked to the CPI
(Consumer Price Index).
Before the levy discussion, Root asked for a moment of silence in honor of sophomore Kyle Knox, who
was killed in a car crash Sunday night.
“It will be really tough for a while” for students, he said, calling it a “heartbreaking time for our students.”
He then went into his monthly financial update; at the end of October, the operating fund balance stood
at $3.899 million, a huge improvement over the $688,269 number from two years ago and a healthy
improvement from the $2.48 million last October.
The all funds balance was at $5.045 million, compared to $2.469 million two years ago and $3.595
million last October.
But he cautioned “we are still not out of the woods,” thanks to the immense uncertainty regarding state
aid, which he went further in depth on a short time later.
Back to the levy, as Root briefly discussed past years and the plans for the future.
Last year, the EAV growth was 3.27 percent, after being in the 7-10 percent range in previous years.
It is a guessing game now, admittedly, but Root laid out various scenarios based on EAV growth.
Essentially, the owner of a $100,000 home will see a negligible increase on property taxes (some $6) if
the final levy is 3.27 percent.
Root then went over his General State Aid presentation, which had been delayed for two months due to
various board member absences. His 20-minute overview gave a brief, but detailed, look at school
financing.
Root once again noted that the uncertainty of state funding could wipe out all the considerable financial
progress the district has made in the previous two years, with a ‘worst-case’ scenario seeing a 50 percent
slashing of GSA, though he said it is more likely to be in the 10-20 percent range, from what he has been
told.
He discussed foundation levels and categorical reimbursements and the formulas for each.
GSA is to “provide unrestricted aid in an equitable manner” to state districts.
He also went over how districts are penalized for increased equalized assessed valuation (EAV), as unit
districts like Williamsville’s have a three percent penalty.
For example, if EAV goes up $1 million, the district loses $30,000 in GSA.
Another factor is that there is a two-year lag, so for example, the 2006 EAV is for 2007 tax extension and
fiscal year 2009 GSA numbers.
Ultimately, Root is “hopeful” that there is not a huge dropoff in GSA, he said at the end of his
presentation, but it could be possible “if the state lets us down.”
The next topic of discussion was the middle school building plans; currently the Williamsville Christian
Church is renting the building because its building was destroyed in the August tornado.
There is a possibility that the middle school building will be used once again next year to house
students, in part because the district is “busting out at the seams” at Sherman Elementary, noted Root.
There could be another year at SES with a tight fit, but plans could include moving Early Childhood and
Pre-K to the middle school.
That would be more advantageous than moving grades 4-5, for example, because of the latter’s need for
a library, media center and hot lunches.
One of the boilers, that is near 50 years old, is in dire need of replacement; Root has received two bids,
the lower of which is in the $30,000 range.
The board gave him the go-ahead to proceed.
During Principal Janis Lindsey’s report, one of her items was a Nov. 28 tree planting (at 10:30 a.m.) in
honor of retired teacher Sharon Miller, who passed away earlier this year in an accident in San Diego. A tree
has been donated by Harold Carter, and there are plans to have a stone in her honor (with her ‘trademark
smile,’ in Lindsey’s words) at the site.
HS Principal Russell Galusha’s report included such items as Carrie Warren being awarded the John
Lowe Education Grant to complete her project entitled “Currently Current Events” and a look back at the FFA
Convention in Indianapolis under Advisor Brian Houser, the “Little Shop of Horrors” production and the
Czech Jazz Octet that sang at WHS Oct. 29.
The board also approved by a 7-0 vote the hiring of Rachel Volk as high school girls assistant soccer
coach.
After 60 minutes in open session, the board then retired to executive session, which was “for the
purpose of discussing the performance of non-tenured staff.”
No votes were taken after re-entering open session.
By Byron Painter
Editor
The Williamsville School Board approved a tentative levy Monday night at the regular monthly meeting.
The levy was for 18 percent, but that is only to “capture all new growth,” in the words of Superintendent
Dave Root.
The vote was 7-0 in favor of the levy, which is the same as last year.
The levy will be finalized at next month’s meeting, to be Dec. 14.
Williamsville is a tax-capped district, meaning it can only levy so much; it is also linked to the CPI
(Consumer Price Index).
Before the levy discussion, Root asked for a moment of silence in honor of sophomore Kyle Knox, who
was killed in a car crash Sunday night.
“It will be really tough for a while” for students, he said, calling it a “heartbreaking time for our students.”
He then went into his monthly financial update; at the end of October, the operating fund balance stood
at $3.899 million, a huge improvement over the $688,269 number from two years ago and a healthy
improvement from the $2.48 million last October.
The all funds balance was at $5.045 million, compared to $2.469 million two years ago and $3.595
million last October.
But he cautioned “we are still not out of the woods,” thanks to the immense uncertainty regarding state
aid, which he went further in depth on a short time later.
Back to the levy, as Root briefly discussed past years and the plans for the future.
Last year, the EAV growth was 3.27 percent, after being in the 7-10 percent range in previous years.
It is a guessing game now, admittedly, but Root laid out various scenarios based on EAV growth.
Essentially, the owner of a $100,000 home will see a negligible increase on property taxes (some $6) if
the final levy is 3.27 percent.
Root then went over his General State Aid presentation, which had been delayed for two months due to
various board member absences. His 20-minute overview gave a brief, but detailed, look at school
financing.
Root once again noted that the uncertainty of state funding could wipe out all the considerable financial
progress the district has made in the previous two years, with a ‘worst-case’ scenario seeing a 50 percent
slashing of GSA, though he said it is more likely to be in the 10-20 percent range, from what he has been
told.
He discussed foundation levels and categorical reimbursements and the formulas for each.
GSA is to “provide unrestricted aid in an equitable manner” to state districts.
He also went over how districts are penalized for increased equalized assessed valuation (EAV), as unit
districts like Williamsville’s have a three percent penalty.
For example, if EAV goes up $1 million, the district loses $30,000 in GSA.
Another factor is that there is a two-year lag, so for example, the 2006 EAV is for 2007 tax extension and
fiscal year 2009 GSA numbers.
Ultimately, Root is “hopeful” that there is not a huge dropoff in GSA, he said at the end of his
presentation, but it could be possible “if the state lets us down.”
The next topic of discussion was the middle school building plans; currently the Williamsville Christian
Church is renting the building because its building was destroyed in the August tornado.
There is a possibility that the middle school building will be used once again next year to house
students, in part because the district is “busting out at the seams” at Sherman Elementary, noted Root.
There could be another year at SES with a tight fit, but plans could include moving Early Childhood and
Pre-K to the middle school.
That would be more advantageous than moving grades 4-5, for example, because of the latter’s need for
a library, media center and hot lunches.
One of the boilers, that is near 50 years old, is in dire need of replacement; Root has received two bids,
the lower of which is in the $30,000 range.
The board gave him the go-ahead to proceed.
During Principal Janis Lindsey’s report, one of her items was a Nov. 28 tree planting (at 10:30 a.m.) in
honor of retired teacher Sharon Miller, who passed away earlier this year in an accident in San Diego. A tree
has been donated by Harold Carter, and there are plans to have a stone in her honor (with her ‘trademark
smile,’ in Lindsey’s words) at the site.
HS Principal Russell Galusha’s report included such items as Carrie Warren being awarded the John
Lowe Education Grant to complete her project entitled “Currently Current Events” and a look back at the FFA
Convention in Indianapolis under Advisor Brian Houser, the “Little Shop of Horrors” production and the
Czech Jazz Octet that sang at WHS Oct. 29.
The board also approved by a 7-0 vote the hiring of Rachel Volk as high school girls assistant soccer
coach.
After 60 minutes in open session, the board then retired to executive session, which was “for the
purpose of discussing the performance of non-tenured staff.”
No votes were taken after re-entering open session.
Issue Date: Oct. 22, 2009