The Princeton Board of Education has approved a property tax levy of nearly five dollars eleven cents on the 100 dollars of assessed valuation.
That’s nearly 20 cents lower than last year, nearly 30 cents lower than two years ago, and nearly 50 cents lower than three years ago.
This year’s property tax levy in the Princeton district includes slightly over three dollars 97 cents for the Incidental fund, slightly over 95 cents for debt service, and 18 cents on the 100 dollars of assessed valuation for capital projects.
Princeton Superintendent Jerry Girdner said the levy continues to decrease for several reasons. They include new construction, an increase in personal property, and the recent county-wide reassessment of commercial property.
Girdner said the school board voluntarily rolled back the debt service levy to maintain its promise of a no-tax increase bond issue that was passed in April. He remarked the
State Auditor office’s computation of the debt service tax rate exceeded one dollar five cents on the 100 dollars, but the school board voluntarily reduced it to slightly over 95 cents.
Installation of the high school heating, ventilation, and cooling units are complete, with programming of the control system to be done in the next few weeks. The elementary school heating, ventilation, and cooling modifications are completed, with fine tuning of the control systems also to be done in the next few weeks.
Playground equipment is to be installed beginning next Monday. The equipment’s manufacturer is to provide a supervisor to help volunteers with the installation.
Superintendent Girdner said Smithfield hog production, Grand River Mutual, and Grundy Electric all have committed to help with the installation. Volunteers are expected to save the Princeton district over 20 thousand dollars in installation costs.
Superintendent Girdner said a heating ventilation and cooling unit for the Stacy Center has a defective heat exchanger. Because of the age of the unit, the Princeton board is to seek bids to replace the unit. The bids are to be reviewed at the September board of education meeting.
The board was presented a second draft of a new lease agreement with the Stacy Center,
updating the agreement is in process. The district is working to implement swimming into its curriculum this coming school year.
The board approved the resignations of high school history teacher Nathan Copling and head cook Debby Watson.
The board employed Jonathan Holz as a high school history instructor. He’s a first year teacher with a degree from Missouri Southern State University of Joplin.
Holz also was approved to be an assistant coach for Junior High School softball.
Meri Power of Princeton was hired as head cook with Cherri Delameter of Princeton employed for a Parents as Teachers position. Amber Raines of Princeton is to be an elementary school paraprofessional.
The board approved a request by the senior class for open lunch during the upcoming school year.
The board approved the sale of surplus property to be listed on the online auction site govdeals.com. It’s anticipated the items will be available for viewing and bidding in early September.
The school board approved various bids including Big G Foodland will provide the district with bread, Anderson-Erickson will supply dairy products, and MFA Oil of Princeton will provide fuel in the upcoming school year.
The board approved Ed Counsel School Attorneys for general education legal services.
Classes begin August 24th at Princeton.
