No change in Newburg schools tax levies

With no objections or discussion by board members, the Newburg R-II School Board approved no change to its existing tax levies at a public hearing Thursday night.

The board unanimously approved a levied tax rate of $2.75 for every $100 of assessed property value for incidental purposes. Based on this rate, it is projected to generate $715,914 in revenue.

Also unanimously approved was a levied tax rate of 50 cents for every $100 of assessed property value for debt service purposes. Based on this rate, it is projected to generate $130,166 in revenue.

The board held the tax levy hearing in the school library, but no public comments were made.

After the tax hearing, the board held its regular meeting and approved a number of other matters, including the purchase of a new school bus.

The bus will be paid for using $45,000 of the general obligation bond funds and the remaining amount, which is about “$32,000 and some change,” according to Newburg Schools Superintendent John Westerman, out of the balance from the district capital improvement fund as budgeted.

An old bus will be traded in for $2,500. Westerman said the new bus should arrive in “another week or two.”
In addition, the board approved new lunch offerings to include the federal U.S. Department of Agriculture’s New Meal Pattern requirements, which include more servings and varieties of vegetables and fruit and establish a maximum calorie limit for meals. School board members also approved an a-la carte menu.

The school board also had no objections to the district’s new lunch schedule for the various grades. While some upper grades will have lunch at the same time as the lower grades, the classes will be separated, it was noted.

Board members also approved making the job opening for a custodian as a part-time position. “We feel that we can make it with someone on a 28- or 29-hour schedule rather than hire a full-time person,” said Westerman.

The consent agenda approved included setting admission fees for activities to be the same as the 2011-12 rates, appointing Westerman as the school safety coordinator, the district’s substitute list and adoption of the “Nepotism Conflict of Interest and Financial Disclosure” policy.

Westerman also informed the board that the school district must step its training and staff obligations for reporting bullying and then keep the evidence of that training.

He said the school’s current policy on bullying will be reviewed and a change to the policy will most likely be brought forward to the school board’s September meeting.

“We passed a new one last year, but this one is going to be more involved,” the superintendent said, adding that workshops for parents and the community may be offered, too.