Bolivar R‑I board keeps total school tax rate at $4.12, approves ASBR

Bolivar R‑I officials on Aug. 21 approved the district's Annual Secretary's Board Report and voted to set the 2025 school tax levy so the total tax rate remains $4.12.

Chelsea Aberdame, director of finance and human resources, told the board the proposed operating levy is 3.2973, "a rollback from 3.3439 from last year," and the debt-service levy was set at 0.8227. Aberdame said assessed valuation rose "around 5%" while the consumer price index was 2.9%, triggering a required rollback. "This rollback was required this year because our assessed valuation increased more than CPI," she said.

Board members discussed the mechanics and rationale for shifting roughly five cents from the operating levy into debt service to preserve overall revenue without raising the total rate for taxpayers. Aberdame said the combination keeps the district's total levy "unchanged from year over year," providing continuity while state funding formulas remain uncertain.

The board also reviewed the ASBR figures for the 2024'25 year. Aberdame reported the district ended the year with a total fund balance of $19,200,000, Fund 1 (operating) at about $6.1 million, and Fund 5 (bond) that began at roughly $11.3 million and was about $7.3 million at year end. She noted roughly $500,000 of investment earnings had accrued on bond proceeds and highlighted that salaries and benefits totaled about $25.7 million combined.

After discussion, a motion to approve the ASBR passed by an audible "Aye" vote; the transcript records the motion "carries" but does not list roll-call tallies. Later in the meeting the board moved, seconded and approved the school tax rate "as presented." The board also approved the district's transportation routes and MSBA policy updates in separate votes.

The board did not record detailed roll-call vote tallies in the meeting transcript; minutes and the official signed resolutions will supply certified vote records and the formal levy calculation.