USD 234 budget approved with no mill increase

The USD 234 Board of Education on Tuesday approved a 2016-17 budget with no mill levy increase.

Board members met for a special meeting that included a budget hearing, consideration of the proposed 2016-17 budget, and a handful of employment items.

In a brief presentation to the board, USD 234 Business Manager Gina Shelton outlined some highlights of the 2016-17 budget, which included mill levy and assessed valuation comparisons, as well as impact of utilities and recent state funding cuts on the budget.

The approved budget includes a total district mill levy of 53.072 mills, a levy of 3.561 mills in the capital outlay fund and 13.7 mills in the supplemental general (local option budget) fund, 15.7 mills in the bond and interest fund and 2.195 mills for the Fort Scott Recreation Commission. None of these mill rates increased from the 2015-16 school year.

The bond and interest mill rate increased about 8 mills in 2015 as part of the district's $40.8 million school bond issue to make district-wide improvements voters approved in late 2014. The increase went into effect to help the district make payments on the bonds.

The FY2017 budget includes total budgeted USD expenditures of $22.8 million, $12.6 million in the general fund and $3.9 million in total taxes to be levied. Total budgeted for instruction is about $12.5 million, or 55 percent of total expenditures. Total spending per pupil for 2016-17 is $12,583, according to district documents.

Total assessed valuation increased from $76.7 million in 2015-16 to $78.7 million in the new budget. Shelton said assessed valuation has increased about $2 million each year since the 2014-15 school year.

The budget shows an increase from $413,990 in expenditures in the capital outlay fund in 2015 to about $1.7 million for 2016-17. Shelton said the reason for the increase is the state changed rules in recent years, so district officials moved custodial salaries to the capital outlay fund so money could be transferred between funds, giving the district some flexibility.