Fall River board adopts 2526 budget and approves $4.01 million tax levy

The Fall River School District board approved its 2526 budget and an all‑funds tax levy of $4,009,530 during its regular meeting. The presenter said the adopted budget increases the general operating fund balance by about $137,000 and factors higher open‑enrollment revenue while accounting for a drop in state aid.

The presenter told the board that state aid for the district decreased roughly $260,000 this year and that open enrollment added about $228,000 in revenue. "Because our aid goes down, our taxes have to increase," the presenter said when explaining the levy recommendation. The presenter said the mill rate will be $8.28, an increase of $0.10 from last year.

Board members moved and approved the budget and levy by voice vote. The meeting packet showed the district expects to use operating referendum dollars to continue building its fund balance to avoid short‑term borrowing. The presenter noted the district budget includes adjustments for increased purchase services tied to referendum projects and that owner’s soft costs for construction are being tracked separately.

Administrators also reviewed the budget’s debt service and food‑service funds, describing a strategy to level mill‑rate impacts by using fund 39 balances and gradual adjustments to food service pricing. The presenter described contingency planning and timing: bids are expected after a page‑turn on Nov. 4 and bid documents will be submitted to Findorff by Nov. 14 to move the referendum projects toward construction.

The board’s action was procedural: the budget adoption was approved as presented in the packet and the tax levy motion was approved by voice vote. No recorded roll‑call tallies were published in the meeting record.