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Washington County board approves ad valorem requests from local school districts
Summary
The board approved ad valorem (property tax) requests and accompanying budgets from multiple local school districts, including a $3.95 million ad valorem request for Leland and a $28.98 million revenue projection for Western School District; officials cited inflation and unplanned infrastructure costs as drivers.
Board President McGee presided as representatives from Leland, Western (Western High) and Hollandale school districts presented ad valorem resolutions and the county board approved each request.
Chelsea Lash, presenting for Leland School District, said the district submitted two resolutions and an ad valorem worksheet and asked the board to approve a combined ad valorem total of $3,954,140, “and this includes homestead homestead exemption of approximately $62,400.” She also told supervisors the district’s full budget totaled $7,199,486.84. The board moved and the motion carried.
Western School District leaders explained that a $279,000 unplanned gas‑pressure test and a $92,000 escrow affected their request but that total operating revenue for the upcoming year was roughly $28.98 million and enrollment hovered near 1,700 students. Kamiya Richardson, introduced as Western’s CFO, described salary and fringe‑benefit pressures including state-directed teacher pay increases. Timothy Ford, director of finance for Hollandale School District, requested a 4% ad valorem increase to $1,736,750.58 and reported a positive projected fund balance with about 515 students enrolled.
The board approved each district’s ad valorem requests by motion. Supervisors asked clerks and administrators to include the school requests and supporting documents in the county’s budget packet for final accounting and noted they will review funding and mandates during ongoing budget work.
