The Manhattan-Ogden School Board gave approval Wednesday night to exceed the revenue neutral rate for all mill levy funds for the proposed 2023-2024 budget.
The proposed mill levy is 60.072, a decrease of about a half a mill from fiscal 2023. The primary reason for the mill levy going down is a slight drop in the mill for bond and interest payments as well as the local option budget. Superintendent Eric Reid says there are other contributing factors, including a roughly 10 percent increase in valuations.
One mill in the fiscal 2024 budget is equal to about $867,000 compared to roughly $787,000 last year based on those increased valuations. The estimated taxes to be levied is $27.8 million, up about 8.4% from actual taxes levied in the previous year.
The district will review the budget and schedule hearings at their Aug. 2 meeting then look to publish by Aug. 5, with final consideration to come before the board on Sept. 6.
In other business Wednesday, it was announced that the district has received a special one year grant to add a school resource officer from the Riley County Police Department for the two middle schools.
Superintendent Reid says an official plan for how the SRO will split time between Anthony and Eisenhower Middle School hasn’t been determined.
Reid also mentioned RCPD was happy to help and would be chipping in half of the funding for the SRO supervision. Administrators are drafting a memorandum of understanding and Reid says the new SRO will be reviewed throughout the year to see if it’s something that could be funded in future years.
The new SRO is expected to be in place at the start of the school year, which begins Aug. 16.
Reid mentioned that the Facilities and Growth Committee is also looking to rename the former Manhattan High East Campus building at 901 Poyntz Ave. The building previously has housed freshmen students, but they will be moving to the main Manhattan High School campus. More discussion on the topic is planned at the Aug. 2 board meeting.
The board approved several items in new business Wednesday including the purchase of three buses totaling approximately $370,000 as well as a new maintenance vehicle. The board voted unanimously also to accept a $35,000 grant from the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation’s Community Arts Grant Fund. It will fund the development of a bronze panda statue outside the school building.
The fund will support outdoor art at all USD 383 schools going forward. To date, public art projects have also been installed at Ogden and Lee Elementary Schools.
