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Beatrice board approves 2025–26 budget, sets property tax request and clears operational items
Summary
The Beatrice Public Schools Board of Education on Sept. 8 approved the district’s 2025–26 budget and property tax request, approved a $27,450 freezer repair and a $50,000 interfund repayment, and moved forward on a student-interview policy revision.
The Beatrice Public Schools Board of Education voted Sept. 8 to adopt the district’s 2025–26 budget and to set its 2025–26 property tax request, while approving several operational actions including a freezer replacement estimate and a $50,000 interfund repayment.
The board approved a general-fund tax request of $14,682,949 (a 0.771404 tax rate), a special building fund request of $2,222,222 (0.11675 tax rate) and a qualified capital purpose request of $464,646 (0.024411 tax rate). Board member Forrest moved the property tax request and Eric seconded; the motion passed. The motion’s text cited Nebraska Revised Statutes in support of the governing body’s authority to adopt a tax request.
Why it matters: The district said the total operating budget will increase 8.72% compared with last year, while the total assessed value of property rose 12.44%. Superintendent Jason Alexander noted the budget increase reflects a CLSD grant of about $1.5 million that affects expenditure levels but does not increase the district’s tax asking.
Other business: The board approved an estimate to replace an outdoor walk-in freezer at Beatrice High School. Dr. Nielsen said hail damage and the unit’s age justify replacement; the vendor quote presented was approximately $27,450. The board also approved a $50,000 repayment from the building fund back to the general fund under a previously adopted interfund borrowing resolution (06/10/2024). Alexander explained the general fund had lent just over $2 million to the building fund during the elementary school construction project; the $50,000 payment was described as a transparency measure to begin repaying that loan.
Procedural notes: Forrest made the principal motions on the consent agenda, the property tax request and the budget; Eric seconded. Several agenda items passed with no extended discussion recorded. The board set its next regular meeting for Oct. 13, 2025, at 6 p.m. in the Administration Building.
The board also took up a first reading of a policy change (Policy 54-13) regarding student interviews related to child abuse or neglect; that policy change was discussed separately and did not advance to a vote during the Sept. 8 meeting.
