School board fields questions about building levy increase

"Recognizing and prioritizing the value of maintaining our facilities is a progressive investment in the long-term sustainability and success of our school and community."

Those were the words of Superintendent Janelle Helm at a community meeting on Thursday, April 25.

Carrington School District officials held the meetings after both performances of the elementary concert that day, fielding questions from patrons about a proposal to increase the building fund levy from 5 to 10 mills.

There were three primary questions weighing on voters' minds ahead of an upcoming special election on the matter, and officals sought to answer all three.

1. Will my taxes go up if I vote to increase the building fund levy?

The answer to the first question, officials say, is generally no. As illustrated in the chart at left, the district plans to pay off a 2016 bond for the middle school this year, two years ahead of schedule. The 4.81 mills the district collected for that project this past year would zero out, and then 5 mills would be added to the mill levy, essentially resulting in a wash.

The district also does not plan to levy any miscellaneous mills again in 2024-25, which is a reduction of 12 mills compared to 2022-23. That action results in a net decrease in mills, and therefore a decrease in taxes collected by the school on any property with a steady value.

The valuation of property is not controlled by the school district. Rather, the county conducts tax equalization annually and the value of a mill levy changes as a result of that process.

2. Is the sole purpose of the levy increase to fund the high school expansion project?

The answer to the second question is also no, officials say. Rather, the intent is to plan ahead and save for future repairs and maintenance to ensure that Carrington has safe, quality facilities.

Our facility attracts staff," said president Joel Lemer, "and we want to keep it that way."

"We have to take care of what we have, and it needs to be here for generations to come," Helm added.

The proposed high school project is simply the next big facility need the district has identified and prioritized. Therefore, if the bids come in where engineers expect, approximately $4.4 million, then the school could cover the annual bond payments with the 10 mill building fund, based on the current taxable valuation of the school district. In year one, the 10 mills would generate $330,000, and the bond payment would cost $290,000. That leaves $40,000 for other annual maintenance needs.

3. What if the bids come in way over budget?

The simple answer to the third question is that the high school expansion project would not move forward if the bids came in significantly over budget. The district would decide how many mills to levy for building improvements on an annual basis.

The school board will host another community meeting about the building fund levy and the proposed high school expansion project on Thursday, May 16 at 7p.m. in the East Commons. A pdf of the material presented at the meeting is available to download and read here: https://www.fosterconews.com/home/cms_data/dfault/pdfs/misc/2024-05-06.pdf

If residents have any questions or concerns, please contact Janelle Helm at 701-652-3136 or email [email protected].