RIVER FALLS – Since the annual River Falls School Board meeting last month, the school district has received its final numbers from the state and the news is good for taxpayers. The mil rate, which …
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RIVER FALLS – Since the annual River Falls School Board meeting last month, the school district has received its final numbers from the state and the news is good for taxpayers. The mil rate, which had been projected to be $7.45, will actually be $6.85, a 12.91% decrease from last year.
This means that for every $1,000 of property valuation, a taxpayer will pay $6.85 to the school district. This is down from last year, when the mil rate was $7.87.
This is due to several factors, one of which is the increased property valuation in the district as a whole. That number has increased from $2,604,130,997 last year to $2,971,020,228, an increase of 14.1%, as determined by the Department of Revenue and released Oct. 1.
“We’ve had a pretty large property value increase, the larges that we’ve had in easily 20 years,” said Finance Director Chad Smurawa. “Plus the tax levy will be decreasing about $130,000 from last year.”
The school district will levy $20,353,003 this year, down from last year’s $20,484.650.
As for school district enrollment, the district is down by about 20 students (pre-Covid), but up from last year, Smurawa said.
“We came within striking distance of meeting the projection,” he said.
Treasurer Todd Schultz made clear that just because a property’s assessed value increases, that doesn’t mean taxes will increase. The school district is just one of several taxing jurisdictions, including the municipality in which someone lives, the county, the technical college, etc.
School forest update
Superintendent Jamie Benson provided the board with an update on the school forest.
“We’ve been very active in the school forest, laying a little groundwork literally, to gain better access,” Benson said.
The trailhead to the school forest access road is west of the dog park on County Road FF. While there are no signs currently, there will be in the future. The access road, which is one-half mile long, has been widened and will eventually allow for school buses and emergency vehicles to reach the school forest.
Benson reiterated that the “amazing improvement” to the road is thanks to volunteers, such as Dennis Ireland, Steve Dzubay and Barb Kolpin, to name a few.
Once down the access road, one reaches a crossroads. To the right is the community forest owned by Kinnickinnic River Land Trust. To the left and straight ahead is school forest land. An old farm road leads to the left which had been severely washed out with deep gul- lies. Money the school district had set aside was used to bulldoze the road, which now leads all the way to the Kinni. The city donated “truckload after truckload” of wood chips for the road.
Straight ahead at the crossroads is where prairie restoration has been taking place.
“The prairie has been chemically burned under the guidance of people who know what they’re doing,” Benson said.
The prairie has been burned twice un- der the guidance of the US Fish & Wildlife Service. After the first measurable snow, the prairie will be reseeded.
The Trails Committee has also been hard a work developing trails and maps, Benson said. Some existing trails will be regroomed and improved, with signage installed. The city is also assisting with the trail design.
The Land Management has designated a spot on the prairie’s south end where the district hopes to someday build a learning facility. The Rotary Club has also provided the district with an enclosed trailer to be used for supplies.
"Significant progress has been made the last three months,” Benson said. “Ninety percent of it wouldn’t have been done without this amazing community.
Other business
• The student school board representative gave a report on the learning style of the Renaissance Charter Academy, which including more project-based learning, more one-on-one time with teachers, doing assignments in class rather than homework, bonding with the team, and the trust built between students and stau.
• The board approved the hiring of the following short-term, on call substitute teachers: Carter Kirk, Eliza Smit, Cynthia Bauder, Thomas Baillargeon, Brady Sievers and Sara Filarsky. The board also approved the resignation of Director of Academic Services Jennifer Peterson effective Oct. 14.