The Owen-Withee School District held their annual meeting on Monday, October 28 beginning with a budget hearing conducted by District Administrator Randy Bergman. No public was in attendance. Bergman spoke about some of the different funds. Fund 80 is the Community Fund. It is used to pay for things like summer swimming lessons and driver’s education in the summer. The basketball hoop system in the Forward Center was paid out of this fund as were basketballs for the seventh grade basketball program. He said the ending fund balance would be up a little and that it is budgeted to add $25,000 more to the fund. He expected not to have to levy additional money for the fund a year from now.

He went on to talk about the budget. Money was not put into Fund 46 at the end of the 2023-2024 school year, but left in fund balance. Fund 10 covers all the day-to-day expenses of the school, such as staff, insurance, and materials. There were two budgets presented, one if the referendum passes, one if it does not. The budget without the referendum shows revenue of $6,904,617 and with the referendum $7,404, 617. He said the district is running a deficit right now of $47,000. Bergman said it could have been worse, but the district added 21 students this year. He then went over the revenue limit worksheets for both budgets. He said land values in the district went up about 2.5%. The maximum revenue limit per kid is about $11,410. A couple of students are going to private schools costing the district $30,711 in revenue. General State Aids will be $3,649,378. He also spoke of the chargeback for an Owen business that needs to be paid. If the referendum doesn’t pass the mil rate will be $5.40 per thousand, down from $7.50 last year. If it passes, it will be $6.74 per thousand. This leaves a tax levy of $1,312,256 without the referendum dollars and $1,812,256 if the referendum passes, just for the General Fund. Bergman also went through some of the other revenue sources.

He explained that with the referendum, total revenues will be $7,404,617. That is down from $8,397,823 in 2022-2023. He said that is why funding is not equitable. He went on to explain the various expenses that come out of the budget including staff, costs for athletics and other co-curricular programs, administration, secretaries, insurance, etc. Fund 27 is Special Education, Fund 38 is for debt, Fund 46 is capital projects, and Fund 50 is Food Service. Special Education and Food Service have to be zero at the end of the year, so any shortfall has to be made up with General Fund money.

The annual meeting began with Julie Wendler being elected chairperson. Last year’s minutes were approved. Joan Jalling gave the Treasurer’s Report, going over beginning and ending balances for all funds.

Resolutions were then approved with all motions being made by board member Dean Schmelzer and seconded by various other members of the board.

Resolution A for the tax levy had two parts. If the referendum does not pass, the levy will be $1,312,256 for the General Fund, $25,000 for the Community Service Fund, $352,250 for Referendum Approved Debt and $321,904 for Unfunded Pension Liability Debt for a total levy of $2,011,410. If the referendum passes the General Fund amount will be $1,812,256, with all other numbers remaining the same, for a total levy of $2,511,410, Resolution B authorized the board to short-term borrow funds, if needed. Resolution C approved school board salaries to stay the same. Resolution D authorized the district to provide school lunches and breakfasts.

With no public input, the meeting was adjourned.