Triton eyes levy referendum for 2016

Triton School Board members need to be thinking about an operating levy referendum for fall 2016, Superintendent Brett Joyce told board members March 16.
The amount of money available to the district per pupil through tax levies dropped this year because a levy from 2003 that brought in $350 per student was allowed to expire. Levies are for 10 years unless they are renewed.
A second levy referendum expires in 2018.
School districts use levies to fund operating expenses beyond the per-pupil State Aid received.
State Aid to schools is set by the Legislature and varies from year to year. The current per-pupil amount received from the state is $5,831. Joyce said the average amount levied by Minnesota districts is $1,000 per pupil, while Triton has stayed below that at about $700 per pupil.
Budget planning for the 2015-16 school year will begin soon, Joyce said, with the district expecting to trim the budget and not overspend.
During the 2015-16 school year, he said, the board would then work on developing a levy referendum amount and going to the public to explain why it is needed.
Joyce said the district expects a 2 percent increase in State Aid for 2015-16. On the expense side, he said, there likely will be a 3 percent to 4 percent increase in salaries and benefits, a 2 percent increase in other expenses and no increase in supplies and equipment. The district also anticipates a savings from the retirement of four staff members.
Joyce stressed that the levy money is used for operating expenses, not facilities or buildings.
He told the board he would recommend placing a referendum before thevoters in fall 2016.
Also at Monday night’s meeting, the board approved Triton FFA students attending an overnight trip to the FFA State Convention in St. Paul on April 26-28.
FFA Adviser Robert Ickler told board members that 33 students and four parent chaperones would attend the convention.
Seven Triton students will receive their state degrees, and Makaila Klejeski is in the running for Minnesota Star Farmer.
A number of FFA teams also will be competing at the state level, he said.
Joyce added that he wanted to commend the students for their annual Steak Feed held recently in West Concord. Ickler said 311 meals were served at the event.
Elementary School Principal Nancy Stucky told board members that the school was continuing to stress literacy and had seen a tremendous amount of growth during the year.
“We are moving forward,” she said.
It was a record year for I Love to Read Month, she said.
In this monthly report, Joyce stated that he had attended the recent memorial service at the high school in Kenyon for Kenyon-Wanamingo Superintendent Jeff Evert who died recently.
Citing the recent controversy over Hillary Clinton using a private email account for State Department business, Joyce also recommended that all board members use their district email accounts for school district business.
“It’s best to have a personal account and a Triton account,” he said.
 
IN OTHER ACTIONS
The board also:
• Approved a resolution providing for the Sale of General Obligation Bonds.
• Approved the retirements of Becky Fredricksen and Judy Lewis, effective June 5.
• Approved the retirement of Kim Jensch effective the end of December.
• Approved the resignation of Dave Hanson as a substitute bus driver effective Feb. 11.
• Approved an extracurricular contract for Rebecca Sandager as Split Fitness Center supervisor, spring.
• Approved holding the May 18 board meeting at West Concord City Hall.