Bob Foos
The Webb City R-7 School Board on Tuesday voted to proceed with planning for possibly two ballot issues in April.
One of the issues would be to increase the revenue by an undetermined amount to operate the schools.
The other would be to use its bonding capacity for a no-tax-increase bond issue. For a few years, the board has discussed the need to improve facilities for the third and fourth graders in Webb City, who are currently split between the Eugene Field and Mark Twain elementary schools.
Superintendent Brenten Byrd received board approval to put out a request for qualifications from architects interested in either building a new school or expanding Mark Twain to hold both grades and add a tornado shelter.
Byrd showed off a new spreadsheet tool that can predict future fund balances based on the variables of local tax revenue, state funding and wages.
If there are no changes, Byrd showed with the new tool how the district’s fund balance, “the money we put aside for bad times,” will be depleted after the next four years. “That’s if we do nothing to raise revenue,” he told board members.
He said the goal is to operate the schools without cutting staff and programs.
By plugging in different percentages of operating-levy increases, the board could see on the video displays how different scenarios would play out on a graph over time.
The outlook for increased state aid is poor since the State Board of Education chose not to ask the Legislature to fully fund the foundation formula next year.
At the same time, the district’s enrollment has been falling slightly since COVID, which reduces state aid because it is based on how many students are being educated in the district.
Byrd said enrollment decline cost the district $800,000 this year in state funding.
Board members have been discussing how to address the need for more funding and a better facility for the third and fourth graders in Webb City for a few years.
All Byrd asked for was permission to have deeper discussions with prospective architects. But the board surprised him by voting already to prepare for the April election.
Byrd said he will invite architects and financial advisors to attend the board’s next meeting on Nov. 10.
“Next month needs to be final decision month,” Byrd said. “We must prepare now if we want to put a levy issue and a no-tax-increase bond issue on the ballot in April.”
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Also during the board’s October meeting:
• Courtney Escoto, an assistant high school principal, told the board about plans to begin a leadership program that teachers can apply to take part in.
• Allison Pope, assistant superintendent for instructional services, reported on continued professional development activities, with an emphasis on them being led by teachers.
• The board reviewed and approved new required board policies and regulations.
