The Mineral Point School Board held a special meeting Monday night to certify the levy for the 2024-25 school year. 

Video link: https://youtu.be/tbo9MVZ0h-w?si=MAxOKpBHTui6IdvS

— The first order of business was to approve the revised District budget, and the Board did so unanimously (with Rachael Bergstrom and Will Harris absent).

The Board approved a budget at its last regular meeting October 14, knowing the final numbers from the State would be coming the very next Day October 15. This new budget is also the one that is used to certify the levy.

The updated budget has increased revenue from:

  • more students open enrolling into the District ($26,000)
  • a reduction in students open enrolling out ($62,000)
  • a reduction in voucher expenditures to the WI Parent Choice Program ($130,000)

The deficit decreased from $494,000 to $404,000.

(This begins the meeting.)

— The Board unanimously approved (with Bergstrom and Harris absent) the levy, which is a 9.06% increase over last year’s and comes in at $5,151,278, largely due to inflation and reassessment of properties in the district. (Go to the six minute, 30 second mark)

The equalized property value for the District now totals $622,459,611. 

This total helps to determine the mill rate. The mill rate for this year is $8.28, which is the same as last year. Debt defeasance is being used to keep the mill rate flat by paying back the elementary renovation loan sooner, saving some interest costs.

Superintendent Mitch Wainwright mentioned the District taxpayer money being sent, by state law, to voucher schools in WI Parent Choice Program and Racine Counties is $58,667 this year.

A 10 year history of the mill rate is below:

  • 2024-25: $8.28
  • 2023-24: $8.28
  • 2022-23: $9.00
  • 2021-22: $10.41
  • 2020-21: $11.95
  • 2019-20: $12.00
  • 2018-19: $10.22
  • 2017-18: $12.09
  • 2016-17: $12.43
  • 2015-16: $12.46

— The next regular meeting of the school board will be Monday, November 11 at 6 pm.