Nevada R-5 school board holds tax rate hearing

A special Nevada R-5 school board meeting was held at 7:30 a.m., Wednesday, at the district's central office. Those present included Board President Dr. Jeremy Fast, Monty Smith, Jay Sloniker, Joy Hawks, Lois Pendrak, Alyson Harder, Mike McCaffree, Dr. Tyson Beshore, Jodie McNeley, and Melissa Hendrix.

First on the agenda was consideration of Policy IGCD. The Missouri School Board Association (MSBA) has created this policy to comply with the requirements of Senate Bill 603 (2018) and House Bill 1606 (2018). These bills create the Missouri Course Access Program (MOCAP). Under MOCAP, course providers apply to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to have their virtual courses approved. A motion to approve Policy IGCD as presented was made and seconded. The board approved the policy, 7-0.

A public hearing was then held so citizens could have the opportunity to be heard on the property taxes proposed to be set by the school division, a political subdivision. The tax rates are set to produce the revenues needed to operate the school for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020. The tax is determined by dividing the amount of revenue needed by the current assessed valuation. The result is multiplied by 100, so the tax rate will be expressed in cents per $100 valuation.

The estimated current assessed valuation for real estate in the 2019-2020 tax year is $127, 915,796; and the estimated current assessed valuation for personal property in the 2019-2020 tax year is $51,332, 479 for a combined total of $179, 248,275. The prior tax year's (2018-2019) assessed valuation for real estate was $127,872,820 while the personal property was $48,016,273. This had made a combined total of $175,889,093 for the 2018-2019 tax year.

The following tax rates were proposed:

The amount of property tax revenue budgeted for incidental is $6,254,331 and the amount of property tax revenue budgeted for Debt Service is $696,559. This makes a combined total of $6,950,890 for amount of property tax revenues budgeted. The property tax rate (per $100) for incidental is $3.4892 whilethe property tax (per $100) for Debt Service is $0.3886. This makes a combined property tax rate of $3.8778.

New revenues from new construction and improvements total $28,145; new revenues from reassessment total $115,623; and a percentage of 1.8922 of new revenue from reassessment. The budget of the Nevada R-5 school district can be inspected at the Office of the Superintendent. The previously mentioned tax rates are subject to final approval by the Missouri State Auditor's Office, and may reflect minor adjustments as such. Additionally, the above published tax rates reflect the most accurate information at the time of publication of this notice. Board of Equalization adjustments at or after the hearing could alter the previously reported tax rates.

Dr. Fast opened the floor for public comments. None were made. A motion to approve the tax rate of $3.8778 for the 2020 fiscal year as presented was seconded. The board approved the tax rate, 7-0.

With a 7-0 roll call vote, the the meeting adjourned to closed session for the purpose of hiring, terminating, disciplining or promoting, and personnel records, evaluations, and applications.

The following employment action was approved with a 7-0 roll call vote:

• Willa Wolf was recommended for employment as a custodian, effective Sept. 5, 2019.

With a 7-0 roll call vote, the meeting adjourned.