By Lucky Kidd
BUHLER, Kan. — The Buhler USD 313 Board of Education Monday approved publication of a 2024-25 budget that carries a half mill increase in the property tax levy, though the actual amount of property tax paid to support the district may decline a bit for some.
This is due to the Kansas Legislature’s decision to increase the exemption from the statewide 20 mill levy from $40,000 to $75,000. The overall proposed budget for USD 313 calls for a not quite half mill increase in the levy, with total taxes raised to increase by a little over $119,000.
For the part of the levy determined locally including the local option, capital outlay and bond and interest funds, to be revenue neutral it would have to be cut by 1.4 mills from what was published. Hearings on the budget and exceeding RNR will be held on Sept. 9.
The Board agreed to move forward with replacement of HVAC units for part of Buhler Grade School. The district has experienced repeated issues with the HVAC equipment installed at BGS, including multiple compressor failures.
The district had encountered similar issues a few years back at Union Valley, and Brett Miller from DCS told the board the VRF units that the district installed as part of bond projects in 2004 has been problematic in general, with many school districts scrapping VRF equipment which doesn’t function well in the Kansas climate.
At BGS, the plan is to replace VRF units with split systems which are seeing increased use in many sectors. The project could carry a price upwards of $1 million.
USD 313 has been awarded a $32,755 Safe and Secure Schools Grant from the Kansas State Board of Education. This grant accepted by the Board is a dollar-for-dollar matching grant. Safe and Secure Schools Unit director for KSDE John Calvert noted $5 million has been allocated by the Kansas Legislature, with over $12 million in grants sought, with the awards prorated based on a full-time student equivalent calculation.
The board also accepted a $28,000 Mental Health Intervention Team grant from the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services and various donations for the start of the school year convocation and for the Wellness Committee. Approval was given to submit a $175,000 grant application to the Patterson Family Foundation for operational and supply funds for the district’s daycare centers.
Water issues in Buhler were among the topics discussed by the Buhler USD 313 Board of Education Monday, the city of Buhler has in recent years used more water than it has water rights for. The city is looking at a number of options including putting down an additional well, and the potential of putting in a separate well that would be used for irrigation at Wheatland Park, which the district may have to pay part of.
Superintendent Cindy Couchman told the Board USD 313, which is one of Buhler’s largest water customers, has taken steps in recent years to reduce its water consumption. Water is becoming a major issue in parts of northeast Reno County, especially in the Sand Hills area where some water wells are going dry due to ongoing drought.
In other actions, the board approved a Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program agreement with the Kansas State Department of Education for Buhler Grade School, several revised job descriptions and related updates to the classified wage schedule, and purchase of various furniture and other items for Ad Astra Academies and the daycare facilities.
