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Tax rate drops in W-F School District

Weyauwega-Fremont School district residents will see a 5.78 percent drop in the tax rate that supports the district’s 2010-11 budget.

The Weyauwega-Fremont School Board on Monday, Oct. 25, approved a

2010-11 budget of $10.44 million – up 0.35 percent from the 2009-10 budget of $10.41 million.

Established was a mill rate of $7.91 based on a total levy of $4.74 million.

The 2009-10 rate was $8.39, while the 2009-10 levy was $5.247 million.

For the owner of a $100,000 home in the district, the approved budget and levy equates to a projected school tax decrease of about $50.

The tax bill that residents in the school district receive this December will also include the tax rates of the municipality in which they live (city, village or town), the county, state and Fox Valley Technical College.

Some said Monday that not all will see a decrease in the taxes they pay to support the school district, because some area towns went through a reassessment.

District Administrator Scott Bleck said the district’s overall valuation decreased 4.03 percent to $599.93 million from $625.13 million in 2009-10.

He said that those in tune to the real estate market know that the value of some property has dropped, resulting in the decrease in district valuation.

The board’s vote on the budget followed the district’s annual meeting.

Nine people attended it.

During the annual meeting at Weyauwega-Fremont Middle School, Bleck said the reduction in the district’s levy is the result of the debt service for the middle school being completed.

On Oct. 1, the final payment of $450,000 for the middle school was made.

The school district is now debt free.

He told those in attendance that 958 students are enrolled in the district this school year. The district – like others in the area and throughout the state – continues to see a decline in student enrollment.

In 2001, there were 1,108 students enrolled in the district.

Board President Neal Loehrke said that while student enrollment is down, the district is spending an additional $241,565 to educate less students. “The cost to educate less students is higher,” he said.

Bleck said that there are less students but that the means of educating them – the use of technology – does not mean the price of educating will go down.

During the hearing on 2010-11 budget, one district resident encouraged the board and administrative staff to hire a benefit consultant.

The district is self funded, and board member Dan Kohl said the health insurance plan is negotiated and has already been approved.

The district has an insurance committee, which meets monthly.

As the annual meeting came to a close, Robert Rieckmann, who served as the chairman of the meeting, thanked the board and administrative team for their transparency and willingness to work together.

He said that if he asks a question of a board member of administrative, he gets an answer.

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