Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
A replacement maintenance and operations levy will be on the ballot Feb. 9 for the Colfax School District.
The district school board approved the proposal Monday night. It requests a $1.275 million collection in 2017 and $1.3 million in 2018. The first year's funds would be collected at a rate of $3.14 per thousand in assessed valuation while the second year would be at the rate of $3.16 per thousand.
The current levy, passed in 2014, was for $1.2 million for 2015 and 2016 at $3.47 per thousand in assessed valuation, for each year.
The previous two maintenance and operations levies, 2012-2013, were for the same dollar amount.
Before the school board voted to approve the new levy proposal, District Superintendent Jerry Pugh gave a report about the levy committee, which has met twice so far. New committee members Wes Claassen and Joel and Amy Warwick attended at Monday's school board meeting.
“If we left it as the same as before, we are not keeping up with the increased costs that every business, organization or individual is seeing,” Claassen said. “Leaving the number static for another two years, when we have a superintendent who is looking to provide an excellent facility and programs for our community, I don't think we can do that on the old money.”
The levy committee will meet again in early December to plan for an informational booth at Colfax High basketball games this winter and to create a brochure to be mailed to voters.
A failed levy in 2010 – the first since 1974 – interrupted an otherwise long history of levy support from Colfax voters.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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