At the Dolores School board meeting Oct. 8, officials discussed the ballot question asking voters to renew a mill levy for eight years.
Superintendent Scott Cooper emphasized that the levy would keep taxes at its current level.
“With the state cuts in education, renewing this mill would be much needed financial support,” he said.
The mill levy generates $390,000 per year, representing seven percent of the school budget. It was approved in 2008 for eight years, but without voter approval would sunset in 2016.
The money is earmarked for funding teacher salaries ($150,000), school maintenance ($90,000), supplies ($89,000), technology ($40,000) and library needs ($21,000).
It’s derived from property tax bills. Homes with a taxable value of $100,000 pay $4.68 per month towards the fund.
Cooper explained that the state legislature has dipped into education funds since 2009 to balance the state budget, known as the “negative factor.”
The situation has hit rural schools hardest, Cooper said, reducing Dolores’ budget by $4.7 million since 2009.
“They are balancing state budgets on the backs of schools, and that is frustrating,” he said. “Renewing the mill levy helps to offset the state budget cuts for our school that this year will be $764,705.”
Cooper said superintendents across the state are meeting to figure out how to improve school funding by reducing the negative factor.
Other news from the meeting
School Resource Officer David Van Bibber gave a report on work with students.
He said he is gaining student trust, in part by wearing s plain clothes. A full-time school officer, he spends every day at the school to handle student problems, deal with crimes and provide security.
“I’m identifying potential security weaknesses at the campus, and have built up a good rapport with students. They tell me illegal stuff or problems they’re concerned about,” he said.
His recent duties run the gamut, including making a felony drug bust in the parking lot, responding to a report of vodka in a backpack, conducting a K9 search for drugs in the school, and taking a kid having a bad day for milkshake at the Depot.
Van Bibber is a certified police officer with special training for covering schools. He works under Montezuma County Sheriff Steve Nowlin.
Nowlin brought back the position and pays the officer’s salary. The school had dropped the position last year to save money. Under the previous sheriff administration, the school paid half the salary, about $20,000 per year.
