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Ashland superintendent details referendum spending, reassurances on law-enforcement policy at schools
Summary
Rob, superintendent of the School District of Ashland, reported the district accessed $1,043,667 of an approved $2 million annual referendum (five years), described staff pay increases and mill-rate impacts, and said law enforcement is not allowed on school property without a valid judicial warrant.
Rob, superintendent for the School District of Ashland, told the county board the district accessed $1,043,667 in the first year of an April 2025 referendum that authorized up to $2,000,000 per year for five years to benefit students.
"We pledged to not take all $2,000,000 until absolutely necessary," Rob said, and reported the district increased staff compensation by about 5.84% in year one (the district had pledged 4% annually). He said taxpayers in the district saw some sticker shock because property valuations rose; the district''s mill rate went from 5.58 to 5.90, and Rob estimated the property-tax increase on a $200,000 home at about $122.
Rob also addressed concerns about law enforcement access to school buildings: the district maintains a policy that law enforcement may not enter school property without a valid warrant, staff are briefed on protocols, and the district responds to judicial — not administrative — warrants and consults legal counsel when warranted.
Board members thanked the superintendent and tied the referendum to broader county efforts to improve employee compensation, noting those pay changes support local economic development.
What happens next: The superintendent offered to provide regular updates over the five years of the referendum; no district policy changes were proposed at this meeting.
