School levy sees a drop of 3 percent

By Robert Williams

Editor

High school principal Jason Smith invited FFA advisor Trescha Mitchell and a team of four FFA members to speak on their recent trip to the 96th annual National FFA Convention and Expo in Indianapolis during the monthly school board meeting on Monday, Dec. 11.

Eighth-grader Hudson Baumgart, senior Linsey Marks, senior Jason Hofer and junior Alydia Mitchell.

According to Marks, the Expo consists of more than 500 exhibitors, 100 different agriculture-based college presenters, and roughly 70,000 people in attendance.

“Attending the national FFA convention sessions enhances our chapter enthusiasm to help build opportunities for chapter members and activities and how to build our program and hope to advance at the state-level with our national chapter award,” said Baumgart. 

The students were also present when former Frazee-Vergas FFA member Katelyn Mack was awarded her American FFA degree, the highest degree an FFA member can earn.

Mack was unable to attend because she was running at the NCAA Central Region Cross Country championships for the University of Minnesota-Crookston in Missouri.

“We were trying to fly her in, but it didn’t work out,” Trescha Mitchell said.

The students described the many tours they took at the convention, around Indianapolis and on the trips there and back with members of FFA chapters from surrounding towns.

“FFA is what you make it to be; it will take you however far you will let it take you,” said Marks.

Principal Smith thanks the students for their presentation and closed with a quote about the benefits of such a trip.

“FFA is one of those things that we try to keep out there because it does so much more than what you might think,” said Smith. “It’s not just engines and agriculture and cattle and chickens. These young people were able to get out to a strange city with a bunch of people with like-minds. They were able to learn on their own and come back to their own community members and share what they had done, get themselves some work on public speaking and all that kind of stuff we try to pick up. FFA provides for these kids.”

Tax levy drops

Superintendent Terry Karger and District Business Manager Chrissy Clapsaddle presented the finalization of the school budget and associated property taxes during the annual Truth in Taxation meeting.

The school levy is set by state formula by the legislature or voter approved building bonds and/or operating referendum. Property taxes are determined by the county assessor and calculated by the county auditor. Levies are typically based on market value.

The school only receives 8 percent of property tax and must show where the funds are spent. Included this year’s property taxes is the long-term facility maintenance levy. One project under that levy is the re-roofing of both the elementary and high schools.

“We have been very aggressive in replacing a lot of things through LTFM the last couple years,” Superintendent Terry Karger said. “There were a few years where we were stingy because we were saving for roofs.”

The school has received $749,543 in LTFM revenue, $58,271 coming from state aid and $691,272 from the levy. As part of the 10-year facility plan, scheduled school maintenance projects total $677,147 with site projects totaling $514,272.

Local farmers and timberland owners receive a 70 percent automatic tax credit for property taxes payable in 2024. The credit applies to all current and future school construction bonds. The state reimburses those funds via income, sales and other tax revenue.

According to Clapsaddle, the final numbers for school expenses equate to $15,081,895, while revenues are at $13,661,629.

The district receives 17.9 percent of its revenue from property taxes ($2,450,042). Significant changes this year was a 4 percent increase in the state formula, a decrease in enrollment and the conclusion of ESSER funding, the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund enacted by Congress during the pandemic.

A 22-year graph was submitted showing the 4 percent increase in the state’s general education formula and its continual trailing of costs per pupil in regards to inflation. Had the allowance increased by the rate of inflation each year since 2003, the 2025 allowance per pupil would be $8,637. Instead, it is currently at $7,281. The difference between the fiscal year 2025 allowance per pupil and an inflation adjusted formula allowance is 18.6 percent ($1,356).

“While we are very grateful for the 4 percent from the state, inflation is greater and thus, you see the gap,” said Karger.

There are things the district does to help close the gap. Funding will trail inflation by $1,282 per pupil in fiscal year 2024. The district accepts Tier I and Tier II local optional revenue (LOR) that goes up to $724 per pupil. According to Karger, this brings in $635,385, of which $70,121 is state aid.

Karger also noted that the district is one of 90 out of 230 districts that do not currently have an operating referendum.

“What we don’t have, that 60 percent of school districts in Minnesota do have, is an operating referendum,” said Karger. “We have had them in the past.”

Former referendums in the district were $1,000 per pupil for five years and a second for five years at $700 per pupil. Operating referendums are far more prevalent in the metro versus greater Minnesota. The district median for those referendums is $504 per pupil.

Clapsaddle concluded with a look at the actual proposed levy, noting a decrease of 2.66 percent.

“The reduction comes from the general ed fund,” she said.

The estimated pupil count versus the actual pupil count created a decrease of $59,262, according to Clapsaddle. Community education funding also assisted in the decrease.

“This is the first time that I can ever remember that aid is being applied to community ed,” Clapsaddle said. “That helped us a lot.”

That reduced the levy by 19.025 percent ($17,944).

“Overall, we had a decrease of 2.66 percent in our levy,” she said.

“That’s a positive,” said Karger. “That’s a good thing for our people.”

Karger also praised Clapsaddle for her accuracy and work on the budget, which was confirmed by an audit by Bryce Karel, CPA, Manager at Brady, Martz & Associates, P.C.

Karel also gave a presentation Monday night as the manager of the annual school audit.

Elementary Report

Elementary Principal Travis Nagel lauded attendance at recent school events including the fifth and sixth grade concerts, along with the day for kindergartners to build Gingerbread Houses with friends, family and special guests.

“Just another great attendance at all those things,” he said. “Anytime we have anything at the elementary school it’s just awesome to see the parents and family that come to participate.”

Nagel also thanked Police Officer Scott Luhman for attending to help with the Gingerbread event.

Enrollment

The district received the enrollment option applications for out of the district to: Lake Park (1), Detroit Lakes (1) and Perham (1) into the district.

According to Principal Smith, enrollment is on a steady rise at the high school with two new students arriving in the past week. 

Hornet Pride

Becker County Children’s Initiative donated $6,318 for RAZ-Plus, a K-5 Literacy Program that includes leveled resources, teaching materials and student portal address. The renewal is for 36 months in 10 classrooms.

Kristin Bradbury, Essentia Health (Detroit Lakes) employee, through the Employee Together We Thrive volunteer program, volunteered hours in the community and she received a monetary donation from Essentia Health of $100 to give to the non-profit organization of her choice and she chose Frazee-Vergas Public School District.

Personnel

The school board approved the following personnel changes:

Retirement of the Custodian/Maintenance at the Elementary from Jim Ueke, effective December 31.

Resignation of a Junior High Softball Coach Lynn Tappe, effective immediately.

Hiring a Vocal Musical Director Brian Selander.

Hiring a Full-Time Food Service Worker Troy Tieden.

Hiring a Full-Time Custodian Myra Thornby.

Hiring an Assistant Varsity Wrestling Coach Mike Hamm.

Hiring Weight Room Supervisors—a 6-person rotation: Dave Conzemius, Jason Reierson, Jim Jacobson, Roger Thorp, Lynn Tappe and Valerie Turnbull Sanders.

Hiring a Junior High Basketball Coach Jeremiah Prellwitz (focus will be on seventh grade during game days).

Hiring a Junior High Basketball Coach Laura Peterson (focus will be on eighth grade during game days).

Reduction from Full-Time to Half-Time Robotics Advisor Position Eric Schaefer.

Sports

A resolution for a Boys Swim & Dive co-op with Detroit Lakes that was approved in November was dissolved to allow Perham to join the Cooperative, then approved with the inclusion of the Yellowjackets.

The board approved the submission of a letter of support for the grant application of the Frazee Trail Planning Committee seeking funds for the Ball Field Segment Trail. The Frazee Trail Planning Committee contacted Superintendent Karger requesting a letter of support from the school district to help them obtain the grant, for a multi-use trail that connects Wannigan Regional Park to the Safe Route to Schools Trail past the ball fields.

Construction

ICS Project Manager Collin Rehbein gave a report of future construction plans to re-roof the elementary and high school. The project is scheduled for the summer of 2024.

By the January school board meeting, Rehbein expects the project to be ready to go out for bids.

“It’s a pretty straightforward project so I don’t foresee any big hiccups, nothing to really change as far as costs or anything like that,” he said. 

Supply chain issues have tapered in regards to roof work, he noted.

The goal is to package both projects for one roofing contractor.

Staging is scheduled to begin the last week of school.