The Taylorville School Board met last evening and many important issues were discussed. One of the most important issues brought up at the meeting was brought up by some visitors at the meeting.
Jim Burgett First Vice President and Sean McCarthy First Vice President of Stifel Nicolaus an investment banking company headquartered in St. Louis brought up a sales tax that could help the district.
The tax is called the County School Facility Tax and was passed by the Illinois Legislature in 2007 based on a plan that is used in Iowa.
Superintendent Greg Fuerstenau says that this tax is worth a second look.
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The tax revenue would go straight to the school district and the tax would be levied on everything except vehicles, boats, RV’s, mobile homes, unprepared food, drugs, farm equipment and parts and farm inputs. Some counties who have passed the tax include Champaign and Macon County.
Fuerstenau says that he wants to start to talk to other school districts in Christian County about the tax.
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Another issue brought up at the meeting was the new advisory period which will take place at the Taylorville High School daily for 36 minutes.
Fuerstenau says that this advisory period was made to help students be more successful.
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On Mondays the advisory period will include sustained reading, on Tuesdays and Thursdays the period will include organization or club meetings and on Wednesdays and Fridays the period will include student conference with their advisory period teacher.
Also brought up at the meeting was the 2012-13 Budget for the district. The district is anticipated to lose over $1.7 million in their education budget which will put the overall balance at the end of the 2013 fiscal year down to $3,033,853.
Fuerstenau says that the district will have to be patient when making future years budgets.
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The $1.7 million loss in the education budget is nearly the same amount that the State of Illinois owes the Taylorville School District.
Items passed at the meeting include.
A consideration of the need for continuation of the designated hazardous walking areas within the District as previously granted by the Illinois Department of Transportation, the consideration of the Illinois State Board of Education Technology Loan Application, and the consideration of the contract facility agreement between Taylorville Community Unit School District #3 and C.E.F.S Head Start Program for the 2012-13 Program year.
All of those items passed unanimously.
The next Taylorville School Board meeting is scheduled for September 10th and school is scheduled to start on August 17th.
