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Kewanee CUSD 229 board approves 2025 tax levy, bond transfers and purchase of five diesel buses
Summary
The Kewanee Community Unit School District No. 229 Board approved a 2025 tax levy based on an estimated EAV of $138,504,657 (including windmills), authorized three county sales tax transfers to pay bond series totaling $588,700, and approved purchase of five diesel buses for $525,310. Multiple personnel and policy actions also passed.
The Kewanee Community Unit School District No. 229 Board of Education on Dec. 15 approved the district's 2025 tax levy, three bond-transfer resolutions funded by countywide sales tax, and the purchase of five diesel buses.
Superintendent Baney told the Board the district is using an estimated equalized assessed valuation (EAV) of $138,504,657 to calculate the levy. Baney said EAV increases include an approximate $2,316,054 rise in Bureau County and a $4,261,659 rise in Henry County and that "the windmills were added to the EAV totals," which she estimated would add about $7,350,000 to the district's EAV. She said, "these are the best estimates we have available." The district requested a combined levy rate of 4.18121 percent to fund education, operations and capital categories as outlined to the Board.
Within the levy hearing the Board approved three resolutions to transfer countywide sales tax receipts to pay General Obligation School Bonds (alternate revenue source): $517,200 for Series 2018, $1,900 for Series 2021A and $69,600 for Series 2021B. Superintendent Baney recommended approval of the bond resolutions; roll-call votes recorded all present members voting aye on the measures.
On a separate agenda item, the Board authorized purchasing five diesel buses (three 71-passenger and two 37+1-passenger) from Midwest Bus Sales for a total of $525,310. Mrs. Baney said diesel bids were lower and cited electrical issues with recent gas buses as a factor in the recommendation. The motion to purchase the buses passed on a unanimous roll-call vote.
The meeting record shows the Board also approved an extensive list of new and revised district policies (policy codes recorded in the minutes), a Touch Pro Wrap project for Kewanee High School estimated at $33,000 (the Foundation has $6,000 identified for athletic projects), and a slate of personnel items including resignations, retirements, hires, long-term substitutes, transfers and volunteers. A resolution to eliminate the Assistant Transportation Director position was tabled by majority vote.
Votes at a glance: the three bond-transfer resolutions and the 2025 tax levy were approved (unanimous aye); bus purchase from Midwest Bus Sales approved (unanimous aye); the policy revisions were approved (unanimous aye); the transportation-position elimination resolution was tabled (unanimous aye). One consent-vote item recorded a single abstention by Member Johnson on Vote #2, otherwise roll-call votes on action items were unanimous.
The Board's immediate next steps are administrative: finalize levy paperwork based on the adopted estimates and proceed with procurement and contract processes for capital projects and bus purchases. The Board adjourned to a second closed session later in the evening for discussion only and then adjourned the meeting.
