Delano board certifies $10.884 million levy after Truth in Taxation hearing

The Delano Public School District School Board certified a 2025‑pay‑2026 levy of $10,884,032.47 at its December meeting following the required Truth in Taxation hearing.

Business manager Mary Reeder opened the hearing and outlined the levy recommendation and fiscal comparisons. "Last year we certified at 634.07 per student," Reeder said, and "This year, you're going to be certifying at $652.47 per student," noting that the statewide average for operating referendums is substantially higher (quoted in the meeting at about $1,151 per student).

Reeder told the board the district's levy will fall compared with the prior year, saying the district is "going down almost $130,000 this year" from a little over $11 million and characterizing the change as roughly a 1.17% decrease. She attributed the decline to the absence of several one‑time abatements and adjustments that raised the prior year's levy, a modest increase in operating‑referendum revenue because of inflation indexing, and shifts in funding to state aid and debt‑service formulas.

Reeder reviewed budget comparisons and program balances. She said the district's unassigned fund balance rose by about $83,000 last year but that the district expects to deficit‑spend roughly $400,000 in FY26. Reeder also cited capital and LTFM spending as a driver of a nearly $1.8 million decrease in the operating general fund figure reported in the meeting, and noted recent capital outlays including a roughly $300,000 math curriculum purchase and a special‑education area reconfiguration at the intermediate school.

Program‑level changes discussed included a planned reduction in food service fund balance of about $400,000 (attributed in the report to new equipment purchases) and a projected increase to the community service fund balance of approximately $325,000 tied to higher program participation. Reeder said staff would reexamine community‑education revenue projections over the next month or two.

After Reeder's presentation the board moved to approve the levy limitation and certification report. The motion was made and seconded and approved on a voice vote; the board recorded the levy certification as $10,884,032.47.

The board did not alter the operating referendum rate at the meeting; Reeder's figures will be reflected in tax‑certification documents forwarded to county officials as required by state statute. The district also signaled continued FY27 planning with ELT and finance‑committee meetings planned for January through March and a preliminary FY27 budget expected to go to the board in April.