Board ratifies tentative $39.7 million budget, approves millage rates

At a July 28 special-session meeting, the board voted to approve three separate millage rates and ratified a tentative budget of $39,739,826 for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2026.

The actions ratified a certified required local effort (RLE) millage of 3.086, a capital outlay rate of 0.01935, and a discretionary operating rate of 0.748. The board voted on each rate separately, then approved the tentative budget as advertised. The board chair called the votes and members recorded a 4–0 roll-call on the millage motions and on the tentative budget after a date correction.

Why it matters: adopting the tentative millage and the advertised budget is a formal step in the local budget process that sets the tentative tax rates and moves the district toward a final budget vote in September.

Details: the staff presenter explained the certified RLE had been sent by the state and noted the RLE this year (3.086) compared with 3.09 last year. The presenter also said the district budgets the tentative millage at 96 percent of the gross levy, consistent with local requirements for calculating net figures. The board briefly corrected an incorrect fiscal-year end date in the resolution (the presenter agreed to revise the resolution to show June 30, 2026), and a motion to amend the resolution to the corrected date passed before the final vote.

Discussion vs. decision: discussion consisted of staff clarifications about the certified RLE, rollover and net-figure calculations, and the date correction. Formal actions were the separate recorded motions and votes approving each millage rate and the tentative budget; no amendments to the millage amounts were made during the session.

Next steps: staff said adjustments to the tentative budget may be made before the final adoption expected at the September meeting.