Lancaster School Board approves nearly identical 2025 tax levy to that of 2024
By Anna Jauhola
One person appeared at Lancaster School District’s annual Truth in Taxation meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 18.
Superintendent Nicole Thompson gave a brief presentation to explain that Truth in Taxation meetings are held due to a law passed in 1989 and after the county’s proposed tax statements are mailed in late November. While school levies are set through a state formula, the district also has two voter approved referendums and a building bond.
“We brought back our capital levy project (amount) so we could keep taxes close to the same as last year for our families,” Thompson said. “We reduced our levy by $112,000.”
The 2024 levy for Lancaster School District was $868,785. For 2025, the district cut the levy to keep it at an even $868,000.
Heather Mills, a Lancaster resident, asked why her proposed taxes increased to more than $700 for 2025 for just the school district. In 2024, she paid only about $350.
Board member Matt Nordin and Thompson both asked whether Mills’s property value increased. Mills said it did, by $29,000. Business Manager Mendy Coffield said it’s likely a property valuation issue. Board member James Diamond said farm land also increased in value a lot, but the board doesn’t control values – the county assessor’s office does that.
The board approved the information presented during the Truth in Taxation meeting.
The board then approved the certified levy payable in 2025 at $868,000, and the final 2025 budget of $4,875,683, which has a surplus of $604.
In other business, the board:
• Approved a call for bids to replace concrete in the front entrance area of the school.
• Heard a report on homeschooled student numbers in Lancaster School District. Thompson said there are 14 families with 32 students who completed homeschool forms this year. Along with this, Thompson noted the schools census data will be dropping over the next few years as larger classes graduate. Over the last 10 years, the district’s compensatory aid has increased from $57,000 to $273,000, which has been supported by free and reduced lunch counts.
• Approved a memorandum of understanding with the teacher’s union regarding one-time payments to each teacher for READ Act training. Thompson said the district received one-time funding in the forms of literacy aid for $8,067, READ Act teacher compensation for $7,284, along with other literacy funding for $9,494. Each teacher received $1,398. The board also approved using general fund dollars to pay paraprofessionals who took the training the same amount.
• Approved a $1,000 donation from the local Minnesota Deer Hunters Association for archery.
• Adjusted the resignation of Brooke McNeill to a leave of absence. She will return in the fall as a paraprofessional.
• Approved hiring Brianna Knapp as a full-time paraprofessional at $16.12 per hour.
• Accepted resignations from business and FCS teacher Julie Nordin, and high school science teacher Laura Reese, effective the end of the school year.
• Approved resignation from Jen Haaby as a paraprofessional.
• Approved an FMLA request from Lisa Lamberson, and a transfer of 616.575 hours of sick leave to her from several other staff members.
• Approved a transfer of 406.575 hours of sick leave to Ericka Herrington from other staff members.
• Approved single readings of policies regarding technical and other updates.
The next regular meeting is set for Wednesday, Jan. 22 at 7 p.m.
The board also hold its organizational meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 8 at 5:30 p.m. where they will install re-elected board members Justin Peterson and Matt Nordin, and install new member Mike Whitlock.
