Superintendent's Message for October 2019

The last year and a half has been a whirlwind and many positive things have been happening in Timberwolf Territory.  I wanted to write an article to explain the upcoming school board election changes and another item on the ballot called the voted PPEL.   I will also give a crash course on school finance, the different funds, and how they work. 

First, the school board elections have moved to the general election date of the second Tuesday in November.  One of the main reasons for the change was voter turnout for special elections in September.  There are open board positions in each district.  Three in Villisca and two in Corning.   Four incumbent members for both boards have filed the paperwork to seek re-election.  Dr. Maria Fuller will be retiring from the Corning Board after eight very successful years.  Amy Grau has filed nomination papers for the open position created by       Dr. Fuller’s retirement.  In the final year before we reorganize, we will combine the boards and form one board that will consist of either five or seven members.  This board will operate as a different unit as we begin the transition to Southwest Valley Community Schools.  Your current board members are:  Tom Williams, Terry Dalton, Jason Poston, Richard Mullen, and Leland Shipley in Villisca and Dr. Scott Shuey, James Houck, Gwen Larsen, Howard Anderson, and Dr. Maria Fuller in Corning. 

On the ballot this November will be the reauthorization of the school’s voted physical plant levy rate of .67 per $1000 assessed value.  This levy is required by law to be voted on every ten years.  The school board votes on a levy every five years at a rate of .33 per $1000 assessed value.

There are five funds that support our public schools.  The first fund is the general fund.  The general fund pays for salaries and benefits, curriculum, and utility costs.  The general fund is supported by state aid, federal aid, property tax, and income surtax.  The second fund is the management fund.  The management fund pays for property insurance, auto insurance, workers’ compensation benefits, liability insurance, unemployment benefits, and early retirement benefits. This fund is supported by property taxes.  The third fund is the VPPEL/Board PPEL fund.  The district uses PPEL funds to improve buildings, purchase busses, and purchase new technology.  This fund is supported by income surtax and property taxes.  The fourth fund is debt service.  The debt service fund allows the district to build or renovate buildings and/or athletic facilities.  The fifth fund is the SAVE fund which receives money from sales taxes.  Districts use funds from this account to build and/or renovate buildings and athletic facilities, purchase technology, and purchase buses.

Some examples of projects that have been paid for by the VPPEL/PPEL account are: middle school demolition, stabilizing the activity center, repairing roofs, tuckpointing, bus purchases, new technology, lighting for athletic fields, and new LED lighting in buildings.  Future projects will include stabilizing the high school track, office relocation at Enarson elementary, new bus barn in Corning, new boiler for the activity center, new fencing at athletic fields in both districts and several other projects.

This voted PPEL has been in place for the past twenty years and is a very important part of the community support for the schools in providing the best facilities and transportation for our district.   If you have any further questions on the different funds or the board elections, please call Chris Fenster and I would be glad to explain in more detail.