Bolivar R‑I keeps total 2025 school tax rate at $4.12; board approves annual financial report and other routine items

Bolivar R‑I held its annual tax-rate public hearing Thursday, Aug. 21, where district finance staff recommended a mix of levies for tax year 2025 that keeps the district's total tax rate unchanged at $4.12 per $100 of assessed valuation. Following that presentation the board voted to approve the levy and a set of routine items including the district's ASBR and transportation-route approvals.

The district's director of finance and human resources, Chelsea Aberdame, told the board the proposed operating (general) levy would be 3.2973 — a rollback from last year's 3.3439 — and the debt-service levy would be 0.8227 after a rollback from a $1.17 ceiling. "This rollback was required this year because our assessed valuation increased more than CPI," Aberdame said, adding the assessed valuation rose about 5% while the consumer price index was 2.9%. "That is a total tax rate levy for 2025 that is at $4.12, which is the same as last year."

Aberdame told the board the district could have lowered the total rate but adjusted the mix between operating and debt service to protect debt payments and provide funding stability given uncertainty in state aid. When a board member asked whether the debt-service levy choice affects future "no tax increase" bond timing, Aberdame said, "If we ever wanted to increase the debt service or move money from the debt service back into operating, we would have to go to the voters for an approval." The board later approved the tax rate as presented.

Nut graf: The finance presentation, approved by the board, keeps the combined rate unchanged at $4.12 despite property-value growth; the district shifted portions between operating and debt-service levies to preserve debt-service capacity while limiting the operating levy after a statutorily required rollback.

Supporting details: Aberdame also reviewed the district's Annual Secretary of the Board Report (ASBR) summarizing the 2024–25 year-end balances and major fund activity. She told the board the district ended the year with a total fund balance of about $19.2 million. Fund 1 (operating) closed at roughly $6.1 million; fund 3 grew from about $1.4 million to $1.5 million; fund 4 rose to about $4.1 million after a full 7% transfer; and the bond fund (shown on the ASBR as part of fund 4 but tracked separately) began the year around $11.3 million and ended near $7.3 million. Aberdame said bond proceeds earned roughly $500,000 in investment income during the year.

Board action and votes at a glance: - Consent agenda: motion carried (mover: Mr. Thompson; second: Mr. Coffey). No roll-call tally recorded in the transcript. - Annual Secretary of the Board Report (ASBR): motion to approve as presented carried (mover/second not specified in the record; vote recorded by voice as "Aye"). - Tax rate: motion to approve the 2025 tax rate as presented carried (mover: Dan; second: Brad). Vote recorded by voice as "Aye." - Transportation routes: motion to approve carried (mover/second not specified in transcript; vote recorded by voice as "Aye"). - MSBA policy updates (2025): motion to approve carried (mover/second not specified in record; vote recorded by voice as "Aye").

The board also accepted the ASBR presentation and thanked Aberdame and district leaders for their budgeting work. Aberdame noted increases in some restricted revenues, a rise in meal-program revenue and the district's continued transfer into capital outlay to support facilities work.

Ending: The board concluded the business portion of the meeting after approving the tax rate and other routine items and directed staff to continue long-range budgeting and monitoring bond-project expenditures.