Nicolet School District Residents Can Expect Property Tax Hike

After going through a year in which the Nicolet School District spent millions to repair flood damage and had to quickly react to a state budget that cut aid, officials are now looking at a property tax increase this year.

Jeff Dellutri, director of business services, said Monday the projected tax rate for the district is $4.19 per $1,000 of equalized value, which would be a 26-cent increase from last year. The total tax levy would be set at $17.3 million, which is a 6.6 percent increase from last year's $16.2 million levy.

But these projections are just that — projections. And a lot can happen between now and the time the 2011-12 budget and levy gets final approval this fall.

For example, district officials project enrollment this fall will be at 1,102, Dellutri said. However, that could change because the final count won’t be available until September.

"This budget is always a plan, a best guess," he said. "We have to plan this, what we think our enrollment is going to be. If we missed on the enrollment count, it can mean that we have either more resources at our disposal or less resources at our disposal. It's always more difficult with less because now you have to make budget changes and you basically have a month to make budget changes."

The School Board on Monday approved the $23.6 million budget for 2011-12, which is down 41 percent from the $40 million budget for 2010-11. But that $40 million figure isn't what it appears to be.

In July 2010, a catastrophic flood ruined much of the high school. The flood caused about $12.6 million in damage, and the School Board on Monday adjusted the 2010-11 budget to reflect those additional costs, which were, of course, unbudgeted.

Dellutri said the 2010-11 budget also included some one-time projects, including the renovation of the library and community room, and providing more space for the school’s Academic Success Center.

"Those were in last year’s budget, but they are not in this year’s budget, as a one-time project," Dellutri said.

But the flood costs aren't the only bills Nicolet is facing. The district is looking at a 5.5 percent reduction in revenue per pupil — about $847 per student — under the new state budget.

However, the is nearly eliminating the number of cuts to school programs.

"The referendum did provide the resources to keep all the core classes and electives we wanted to keep," Dellutri said.

Even with the referendum money, Dellutri said school officials trying to stretch those funds as far as they can, still finding ways to pinch pennies. Replacement of the copy equipment will save the district $24,000, and additional retirements this year also saved the district some money.

School officials are also looking at making changes to the district’s employee handbook, which spells out the terms of employment, including benefits. Nicolet teachers are no longer under contract, so they — like other district employees — will have to adhere to the terms of the handbook. And that could leave a door open for additional savings.

"Potentially there are further efficiencies in there with benefit levels and so forth," Dellutri said. "Our health insurance went down 3 percent, that’s a savings to the budget we weren’t expecting, and there’s a chance to bid out our health insurance in the coming year so there may be a greater opportunity to garner additional savings."

In other action Monday, the board approved:

• The retirement of physical education teacher Steve Bazelon;
• Resignation of photography teacher Amanda Rumpf;
• The appointment of four new teachers, including Elisabeth Thompson as an English teacher, Nasif Rogers as a social studies teacher, Erin Felber as a physical education teacher and Braley Kozaczuk as head football coach;
• Increasing student  fees for athletics, chess, debate, drama, Fed Challenge, and forensics to $70 for ninth grade, and $85 for 10th, 11th and 12th grades. The remainder of student fees are staying the same.