Southeast Polk schedules budget hearing, hears public concerns about property-tax assessments and reviews grant, fees, construction and makeup-day options

The Southeast Polk Community School District board of directors set a second public hearing on the proposed fiscal 2026 budget for April 10, 2025, and heard extensive public comment about property-tax increases and assessment methods at the first budget hearing on March 27.

A public comment period that drew several residents focused on how property-assessment changes affect tax bills. One resident said many people had “a roomful of people thinking we were raising their taxes,” and several speakers called for clearer communication about how assessments and the district’s levy interact. A district representative told the room, “Once again, we’re not raising the tax. Our tax rate is staying the same. It’s based on the assessments.” The board said county and state procedures influence assessments and that staff would be available after the hearing to answer technical questions.

The board’s motion to schedule the April 10 budget hearing specified that the notice will be published in the Herald Index on March 26, in line with the Iowa Code requirement that public-hearing notices be published not less than 10 days and not more than 20 days before the hearing. Board members also reminded the public that the district’s hearing format limits answers during the public-comment portion; staff member Kevin Bacom was identified as available after the meeting to respond to individual questions.

During public comment, speakers raised a range of concerns about the fiscal impact on retirees and homeowners who do not use district services. One resident described a year-to-year property-tax bill of about $9,000 and said the growing liability was “eating” retirement savings. Another asked about whether enrollment of undocumented students affects property-tax spending; district staff said they could not answer that question during the hearing and pointed residents to staff after the meeting.

The board also received a county-facilitated grant check from Prairie Meadows. Julie Stewart, senior vice president of Prairie Meadows, said the Prairie Meadows/Polk County partnership is returning a percentage of Prairie Meadows’ 2024 gross receipts to Polk County education entities and presented Southeast Polk with $116,382. “These funds are unrestricted so that school gets to choose how they want to use these dollars,” Stewart said. Polk County Supervisor Mark Holm noted the county’s levy will be reduced by $0.10, which he described as a rare county-level decrease.

In staff reports, the board reviewed proposed student-fee changes for 2025–26. Business-services staff said the district is eliminating after-school club fees where state law no longer permits such charges and is reviewing graduation fees; the changes are intended to ensure compliance with Iowa statutes limiting allowable school fees. The proposed fee schedule will return for board action at a future meeting.

Facilities staff provided a construction update on district projects, including the new middle school and the district office renovation. The speaker reporting on construction said substantial completion of the district building is expected in mid-May, with move-in currently targeted for mid-to-late June and completion timing dependent on furniture delivery and installation. Technology cabling and much of the interior work were reported as finished or near completion.

Board members spent the latter portion of the meeting discussing options for making up instructional hours lost to winter weather. Staff reminded the board that Iowa requires a minimum of 1,080 instructional hours and presented alternatives that included adding full days or converting several late-start or early-release Wednesdays into regular student days. Several board members and the student representative favored an option (discussed in the meeting as “option C”) that would make selected Wednesdays regular instructional days, keep the current last student day of May 28 and set the teacher work/checkout days following that (teachers’ last day described as May 30). The board asked staff to work with administrators and teachers to develop plans and to return with a recommendation for board action on April 10.

The meeting included routine motions the board approved by roll call, including adoption of the agenda and approval of the consent agenda. The meeting adjourned after the regular session concluded.

Votes at a glance

- Motion to adopt the meeting agenda — approved by roll call (all members present voted yes). - Motion to approve the consent agenda — approved by roll call (all members present voted yes). - Motion to set a second public hearing on the proposed fiscal 2026 budget for April 10, 2025, with publication of the notice in the Herald Index on March 26 — approved by roll call (all members present voted yes). - Motion to adjourn — approved.

What’s next

- The board will hold the second budget hearing and expected budget adoption discussions on April 10, 2025. Staff will be available after hearings to answer resident questions about assessments and tax calculations.