Unit 40 School Board Approves Tax Levy

Effingham Unit 40 school board members Monday approved a fiscal year tax levy based on a rate of $3.59/$100 equalized assessed valuation, slightly less than last year's levy of $3.62. The actual levy amount will be finalized when taxes are extended by the County.

The levy is based on an equalized assessed valuation of property in Unit 40 estimated at $414 million.

The Board also discussed whether to issue Working Cash bonds to keep the district's Debt Service Extension Base limit where it is. The district's Bond and Interest levy is now at $1,356,179, but Superintendent Mark Doan said if the Debt Service Extension Base isn't maintained, available revenue would be half what it is now for maintenance projects. Doan suggested issuing the Working Cash bonds and paying off existing bonds issued in 2008. The levy could then be abated by the amount of those paid off bonds, the district's levy would remain intact, and taxes wouldn't increase for that fund.

Another vote would be needed to actually sell the bonds; Monday night's vote was to declare an intent to sell the bonds.

The Board contracted with HSHS St. Anthony's Memorial Hospital for substitute therapists and nurses in case district personnel isn't available; heard that county school enrollment has dropped by 15% since the 2004-05 school year; and took action on personnel items.

The retirement of teacher Jeanne Patterson was accepted as of the end of the current school year; resignations were accepted from Timothy Bloemker as a high school custodian, from Nancy Mathews as a cafeteria monitor at the junior high, and from Lori Saunders as a cook at the junior high; Josh Simmons was transferred to a custodian's duties at the high school; and Lori Saunders was recalled to work as a custodian at the junior high.