Board approves preliminary pay‑26 levy at maximum amount; trustees set targets for next meeting

Treasurer Jim Baker presented the district’s recommended pay‑26 levy certification and the board approved the preliminary levy for the maximum amount by roll call on Sept. 23. Baker explained the levy is comprised of operating (general fund), debt service and community‑education components and is governed by Minnesota statutes cited in the presentation. He told trustees that market value and enrollment changes drive levy collections and walked through component changes, including increases in enrollment‑based operating levies and a reduction in debt‑service levies as current debt is paid down. Baker described the district’s voter‑approved portion of the levy and the capital‑projects levy that will appear on the November ballot. He said the capital projects levy was assumed to pass for pay‑26 certification purposes and noted the district must plan for both scenarios. During discussion trustees asked staff to preserve previously board‑approved metric requests for the executive dashboard and asked for more disaggregated MCA reporting (by grade band and by school) on future dashboards. The board approved the motion to certify the preliminary pay‑26 levy at the maximum amount. The motion was made by Director Amber Cameron and seconded by Director Paul Carbone; the board conducted a roll call and the motion passed. Baker and finance staff will return with details and a truth‑in‑taxation hearing schedule as required by state law.