The Ball Chatham CUSD 5 Board of Education set a truth-in-taxation hearing for its Dec. 17 meeting and approved school calendars for the 2027–28 year plus a secondary calendar to address uncertainty about a law that had allowed students to miss school on election day.

Wendy Delacos, the district chief financial officer, gave an informational presentation explaining how the levy is calculated and discussed restrictions in financial legislation affecting caps and property taxes, the board said. Dr. Layman said the presentation led the board to schedule a public hearing on Dec. 17 so community members can ask questions about tax calculations and proposed levies.

The board approved the main calendar for 2027–28 and a secondary calendar for the 2026–27 school year because, as Dr. Layman explained, 'the current law allows for students not to come to school on election day per a law that has expired. And so anticipation of not knowing if that law is going to be brought back or not, we have a secondary calendar that we needed to approve.' The secondary calendar is intended to give the district an option should the underlying statute remain unavailable.

The board also approved routine consent items and personnel actions at the same meeting, including bills, payables, meeting minutes, FOIA requests, hires, resignations, transfers and leaves of absence.

Next steps: the district will hold the advertised truth-in-taxation hearing on Dec. 17 to receive public comment and questions about levy calculations and proposed property tax rates.