By Lucky Kidd
BUHLER, Kan. — The Buhler USD 313 Board of Education has approved a 2024-25 budget that increases the district’s property tax levy by about five hundredths of a mill and exceeds the Revenue Neutral Rate by about 1 ½ mills. Business manager Shane Hecox said the budget is based the average of the prior two year’s FTE enrollment as a starting point along with estimated weightings that go into budget authority, and a projected 4.1 percent valuation increase. The final levy won’t be determined until the valuations are finalized but the property tax dollars to be levied are set.
Following an executive session the Board approved payment of retention pay of $710 per person, pro-rated for less than full time staff. The Payment, which also includes staff of Reno County Education Cooperative, is the final retention payment from ESSER funds, with any overage to come out of the general fund.
Bids were accepted from three vendors for two of three phases of an HVAC replacement project at Buhler Grade School. Brett Miller from DCS recommended and the Board agreed to install Mitsubishi equipment. Even through Mitsubishi was higher than for LG equipment, it was LG equipment the district has had major problems with over the past few years at Buhler and at Union Valley Elementary School.
Person Mechanical will do the installation with Zenor Electric to do the electrical work.
The board engaged in a lengthy discussion on a proposal to change how assessments are made for the Reno County Education Cooperate, which provides special education and other services to all of the Reno County school district except Hutchinson USD 308.
Currently, assessments are based on headcount for the prior school year, and on that basis for the 2024-25 school year, as of now, USD 313 pays just over half of the cooperative cost, with Nickerson-South Hutchinson USD 309 paying just under 21 percent, Haven USD 312 around 16.4 percent and the remainder from Fairfield USD 310 and Pretty Prairie USD 311.
USD 313 houses all but one of the RCEC classrooms, with one classroom at USD 309. Percentages could change after the September 20th official enrollment date.
The board was provided information on how other cooperatives are funded, and their formulas vary considerably., A number of district use full time equivalency rather than straight headcount, while others have a formula that takes into account the FTE of each district as part of the formula. A couple of districts also provide credits towards contributions for districts that house classes or programs for multiple districts.
A proposal prepared by Business Manager Shane Hecox would change the formula by basing assessments on a formula that would reflect FTE enrollment including pre-K at risk and virtual students, along with weighting factors used to determine base state aid. If that concept were in place for this year, USD 313’s assessment would decrease to about 43.9 percent of local funding with other district assessments increasing.
Financial impact, based on this formula and FY 2024 enrollment data, would range from a cost reduction of $208,943.74 for Buhler to an increase of $56,336.98 for Pretty Prairie. Fairfield and Nickerson-South Hutchinson would see their cost go up either side of $53,000, and Haven by just over $43,000.
No decisions have been made on what may be brought to the RCEC Board, which has a representative from each of the five districts. Further discussion on this is expected at the October Board meeting.
Among multiple personnel actions, the Board accepted the retirement of Prairie Hills Middle School English Language Arts Teacher Jason Williams at the conclusion of the 2024-25 school year. It also approved a two-column movement for one certified staff member based on coursework completed.
The Board approved addition of information to handbooks reflecting compliance with the Children’s Internet Protection Act. This includes requirements involving use of filters and firewalls to prevent exposure to inappropriate content, online activity monitoring, internet safety and digital citizenship.
A gift was accepted from Casey’s General Store reflecting a patron’s loyalty donation to Union Valley Elementary School. An out of state travel request was also approved for the Buhler Singers to go to Branson in April 2025 that would only involve loss of one school day, and for the Prairie Hills Middle School band to go to the Worlds of Fun Music Festival in Kansas City next May.
