Nevada R-5 school board discusses conference issues

By Steve Moyer

Nevada Daily Mail

Nothing. Right now that is all the Nevada R-5 Board of Education can do about the possibility that the Southwest Conference will dissolve with Webb City and Carthage switching to the Central Ozarks Conference. The whole situation is in flux and no decisions have been made with respect to which schools will be in which conferences.

Nevada and McDonald County have contacted the Big 8 superintendents and requested that they be allowed to join that conference but no response has been received. According to R-5 Superintendent Craig Noah, the situation depends partly on what will happen to Neosho. Once the COC makes a decision about admitting Neosho the other members of the Southwest Conference can finalize their plans.

After receiving the invitation to join the COC, Webb City and Carthage asked that Neosho be allowed to join them. If that happens and Nevada and McDonald County can join the Big 8, the situation would be resolved. But if Neosho is left out of the transfer to the COC and Nevada and McDonald County transfer to the Big 8, Neosho would be left holding the bag with no conference home.

"No one wants to see a school left out without a home in a conference," Noah said. "It is always difficult to predict people; however, we feel that we have established great relationships with these communities and we are hopeful they will do what is best for our students."

The board approved a preliminary budget of almost $24 million for the 2007-'08 school year. The budget calls for the same levy as last year, $3.57 per $100 of assessed valuation. The breakdown of the figures is: $2.45 for the incidental fund, 98 cents for the teachers fund, 14 cents for the debt relief and no levy will be set for capital projects. The district will spend $6,300 on each student enrolled in Nevada schools next year.

The district may see an increase this year in assessed valuation, but that will not translate into more money in the district's wallet.

"Since this is a reassessment year, we expect to see a growth in our assessment, but we must remember that the Hancock Amendment will not allow school districts to receive windfalls from local growth," Noah said. "As our assessed value increases, our tax ceiling will continue to decrease to maintain revenue neutrality."

Noah said four building projects are under way and all appear to be on track are expected to be completed on time. The Benton classroom project needs the exterior brick, floors and sheetrock finished in two classrooms prior to the beginning of the school year, and that should be completed easily, according to Noah.

The elevator project should be completed by the middle of August with the football concession stand/restroom facility finished the first week of September.

The central office building should be completed in early October, he said.

In other business the board:

* Approved changing the July board meeting date to the third Wednesday of the month, July 18.

* Approved holding a special board meeting Thursday, June 28. All revenues for the 2006-'07 school year will be received by then and the board can finalize spending out of the current budget on the building projects currently under way.