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Three Lakes School District adopts 2024–25 budget, sets levy after hearing
Summary
Board approved a $10.214 million levy-backed 2024–25 budget, lowered the district mill rate to $3.98, and authorized a 2% staff pay increase and a switch to a high-deductible health plan with district HRA support.
The Three Lakes School District Board of Education adopted its 2024–25 budget and set the tax levy after the district’s budget hearing Wednesday evening.
Caleb, the school business manager, told the board the proposed total levy is $10,214,391 — split between Fund 10 at $9,864,391 and a $350,000 community service fund — a roughly 1% increase over the prior year. "This budget is presented in the Department of Public Instruction's budgeted option format," Caleb said, adding the proposed mill rate would be about $3.98 compared with $4.60 last year, a drop he attributed mainly to an almost 17% rise in equalized property values.
The budget packages a 2% compensation increase for staff and a change to a high-deductible health plan. "Staff is responsible for the first $1,000 of that deductible with the remaining portion covered by a district-sponsored HRA," Caleb said. He also noted employer contributions to the Wisconsin Retirement System will rise to 6.95% for 2025.
Board members approved the budget and related resolutions by voice vote. The resolution adopting the budget included the district’s use of the community service fund to finance programs such as youth sports, the fitness center and a community resource officer; the board confirmed those activities meet DPI criteria for such levies.
The business manager also reviewed district finances: Fund 10 ended with a $430,251 surplus (fund balance $5,437,387); Fund 21 (special projects) held $892,343; food service required transfers to close a deficit; and the combined fund balance totaled $6,536,296. Caleb reported the third-Friday student count as 508 total students (497 resident students and 487 FTE used for state aid calculations).
The board said it will continue to monitor food-service costs and other expenditure pressures, and the administrative team noted capital items funded by the referendum — approved in 2022 to provide $4.25 million annually through 2027–28 — are being used for projects such as boiler replacement.
The board adjourned the budget discussion after adoption; the district will publish the adopted budget per state requirements and proceed with normal reporting and administration tasks.
