The December 4 Houston School Board meeting brought an audience that filled the room; more chairs had to be brought in even. Usually such a full house means that perhaps a public concern has arisen. With a Truth-in-Taxation meeting to be held the same night, one might think there were a lot of disgruntled taxpayers, but neither scenario was the case.
Sixteen members of The Houston Elementary Leadership Committee and its advisor Mrs. Lambrecht attended the board meeting to be recognized as Hurricane Heroes and awarded certificates by Superintendent Mary Morem. The committee has been busy ringing bells at local businesses, becoming entrepreneurs by opening a school store and putting together birthday kits for families for the local food shelf.
Also recognized as a Hurricane Hero was Laurie LeGrande. Tina Beckman nominated LeGrande for her dedicated work in running the local food shelf. The food shelf serves over 50 area families.
Truth-in-Taxation
After the Hurricane Hero awards were presented, most of the audience left. One citizen remained for the Truth-in-Taxation along with three Houston County assessors who attended to answer any questions that came up.
Gwen Rostad, director of Finance for Houston Schools presented information about the taxing process and the district’s budget for the state mandated Truth-in-Taxation meeting.
Rostad explained that the state legislature sets the formula for tax rates. County assessors evaluate the properties in the county; the auditor then calculates the tax capacity for each land parcel. The tax rate is then multiplied by each property’s tax capacity to come up with the tax amount.
The majority of school revenue comes from the state. Currently state funding trails inflation by $1,470 per pupil; the gap continues to grow larger each year between funding and actual expenses. School districts have to go to property taxes to make up the discrepancy.
Property tax revenue supplies 4% of total revenue; 4% inflation is built into the proposed tax. The tax rate at Houston has remained roughly the same for the past 10 years. Houston has not had a voter approved levy since 2018. While tax rates have stayed the same, property values have risen by 74% since 2020; this caused the total tax bill for citizens to rise.
The concern raised by the one citizen in attendance was the difference between city tax at 3%, county tax at 9% and the school at 23%. It was explained that MNVA affects the levy quite a bit. The school proposes the maximum levy, but later in December it will be reduced to where the rate normally is. Plans are to keep the tax rate roughly what it has been in the past ten years.
Local citizens are not being taxed for MNVA students; no local revenue is used to fund MNVA.
Following the Truth-in Taxation meeting, the regular meeting was reconvened and the levy certification for 2025 payable 2026 was approved by resolution. The total levy is $2,004,383.
Student Representative Report
Claire Reay, student school board representative, informed the board that a toilet paper drive was happening again at the high school. Proceeds will be donated to the food shelf; advisory classes are competing with the winning advisory earning the right to go out to eat with Superintendent Morem.
Grinch movie night will take place December 13; December 19 will find the student council playing bingo with the residents at the nursing home. The honor society is organizing a food drive for the food shelf.
The eighth grade life skills classes are selling coffee and/or hot chocolate on Fridays. Aptly named Cool Beans and The Beanery, the classes alternate Fridays for their sales.
In the regular Houston School Board meeting, the board:
- Set the organizational meeting for 2026 for January 8;
- Approved the meeting calendar for 2026; the January, April, July, September and November meetings will be on the second Thursday of the month with the remainder on the first Thursday of the month;
- Passed a customary resolution for combining polling places in the event of a special school election;
- Accepted donations totalling $3,822; many of the donations were to help fund the Holidazzle Elf Store;
- Approved second readings of some policies and first reading of another group of policies.
- Accepted and approved the teacher seniority list;
- Heard that Morem and St. Charles Superintendent Robert Routh will be preparing a presentation for both of their boards on collaborating to build career pathways focusing on CDL operating engineers, CNA, and plumbing and electrical. Their goal is to raise funding for such a collaboration through businesses, legislation and union partnerships.
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