By Chad Koenen

Publisher

One year after nearly 100 people filled the Henning School band and choir room to voice their opinion about the Henning School tax levy, just two people attended the annual Truth in Taxation meeting at the Henning School last week.

Prior to the start of the regularly scheduled school board meeting on Tuesday night, the Henning School Board heard a presentation from Shelby McQuay, of Ehlers, about the 2025 tax levy. After increasing the tax levy 148 percent last year due to the expansive HVAC and school remodeling project, the school portion of taxes for local residents will go down over 13 percent in 2025. 

According to McQuay, the biggest reason for the significant drop in the tax levy is the expiration of the school district’s capital improvement levy that helped to fund everything from buses to technology and roof repairs. The levy expires at the end of 2024 and the school board did not seek a referendum this year that could have extended the levy once again. Instead, the levy expired and the approximately $360,000 generated from the tax levy will no longer be collected at the school. 

McQuay also said revenue exceeded expenses over the past year due to the expansive construction project, but when the final expenses are tallied the project will be at a break even with expenses and revenues.

In other news

• Recognized Henning School Board Chair Reed Reinbold for his 16 years of service as part of the Henning School Board. Reinbold did not seek re-election in November for another four year term on the school board.

• Approved the final 2025 tax levy as presented for $2,2139,153/43. This is a decrease of 13.79 percent from last year.

• Approved setting January 6, 2025 at 6 p.m. as the reorganization meeting for the school board. 

• Approved the dissolution of Professional Business Management and Support provided by the Pelican Rapids School District effective December 31 and approved a Business Manager Service Agreement and Payroll Service Agreement with the Freshwater Education District for business management and support services. The agreement with Freshwater Education District will go through June 30, 2025.

• Heard the school district is looking at potentially removing the annual fall musical from the choir class and hosting it in the spring as an activity for students in grades 6-12. This could allow students to participate in the musical as an activity and not necessarily a requirement for choir students.