The Rugby Public School District held a hearing Tuesday evening to discuss a possible increase in property tax levies.

The hearing was held in regards to raising the property tax levy by 13.59 percent.

Superintendent Mike McNeff and former business manager Kris Thiel cited the district’s taxable value via a zero mill levy increase computation required by Section 57-15-02.1 of the North Dakota Century Code. The taxable valuation for the district for fiscal year 2015 is $21,606,666.59, a 5.26 percent increase from last year.

McNeff and Thiel discussed the district’s interim fund, or the balance after expenditures that is carried over to the next fiscal year. Rugby’s fund usually stands at 15 percent of the total budget, while other districts’ interim funds are typically around 22 percent or more.

Going into the 2014-15 school year, Rugby’s interim fund was at $950,677.19. The district is expected to take in over $6.5 million in revenue, about 67 percent of which will come from the state, 4 percent from the federal government and 27 percent from local sources. However, the district is expected to incur nearly $6.506 million in expenditures, about 78 percent of which will go toward employee salaries and benefits.

Regular and special education will also figure into general fund expenditures for the 2014-15 school year, including costs for students needing one-on-one aides.

At the end of the 2014-15 school year, the balance remaining in the district’s interim fund is projected to be $957,071.91, or 14.7 percent of expenditures.

McNeff mentioned an enrollment study projected the district enrollment would be at 600 students over the next five years, however he said enrollment has been a “rollercoaster”. A large senior class is expected to graduate this year, and the district could lose funds from the state if the same amount of kids that graduated aren’t replaced in the district’s enrollment.

OTHER SCHOOl NEWS

Former Rugby city auditor Dawn Hauck has started a new job in the Rugby Public School District. On Sept. 22, she started as the new business manager, replacing Thiel, who resigned in August.