Henning School to host community meetings on Seasonal Tax Base Replacement Aid levy
News | Published on September 23, 2026 at 5:30pm EDT | Author: Kendall Koenen
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By Chad Koenen
Publisher
The Henning School District will host a pair of community meetings to answer questions and make the case for a new Seasonal and Recreational Tax Base Replacement Aid levy that could provide as much as $350,000 per year in new funding, without raising taxes locally.
During its regularly scheduled meeting last week, the school board heard from superintendent Melissa Sparks about the plan to host a meeting on Monday, Oct. 19 at 6:15 p.m., as well as Wednesday, Oct. 21 at 3:30 p.m. The idea for the two dates was to coincide with the fall music concert and have a daytime option for parents picking their kids up from school, as well as others who do not want to attend a meeting at night but may have questions concerning the levy vote.
“We thought parents picking up kids may want to just hop in,” said Sparks. “We have never tried it before and we thought we would give it a try.”
The new Seasonal and Recreational Tax Base Replacement Aid levy would replace the current $535 per student operating levy that has been in place for a number of years. The new levy would coincide with a change at the state level, which will provide additional state levy money to school districts that have a large portion of seasonal properties.
In the past, a portion of property taxes paid by seasonal property owners goes to the general fund at the State of Minnesota and St. Paul, and not necessarily to the local school district. As a result, local taxpayers were forced to cover the lion-share of the cost for general operating expenses for school districts. If the new Seasonal and Recreational Tax Base Replacement Aid levy is approved by a majority of voters in the school district the money that seasonal property owners already paid in taxes will be sent back to school districts like Henning. This would not only provide the potential for additional income for rural school districts but also take some of the funding burden off full-time residents.
Due to the unique nature of the Henning School District, as well as other school districts in rural Minnesota like Underwood and Perham who are also seeking a similar referendum this fall, the state will return the seasonal property taxes that are going to St. Paul back to the school district where it was collected. In essence, the Henning School District could receive an extra $350,000 in revenue a year to help close budget gaps, without needing to increase taxes locally. The increase is due to state funding that the school district will receive, as well as keeping the taxes that are currently being collected and sent to St. Paul local—pending voter approval at the election ballot in November.
One of the concerns expressed by school board members in the past was the need to educate the public about the benefits of changing its current operating referendum into a new one that coincides with the changes in state laws. On the ballot voters will be asked to replace a $535 levy (the school board can also approve a better-than $700 per year levy without voter approval) with a new $2,180 levy. Board members stated that without the right information given to voters ahead of time that information may lead some voters to believe they are voting for a significant tax increase, yet in reality, there will not be an increase in the school portion of their taxes if the levy is approved, while their taxes will not increase if the new levy is approved.
In addition to the upcoming community meetings, the school board approved the purchase of a 2021 handicapped accessible school bus. The bus will cost $68,613.25 and is a full-size school bus that can fit up to two wheelchairs inside. The bus can be used as a route bus as well as for things like pep band when additional storage space is needed for bus routes and school activities.
The bus was substantially less-than originally anticipated and the plan is to get rid of one of the older busses in the school’s fleet when the new handicapped accessible bus is put its the fleet.
In other news
• Approved the hiring of Kelly Ellenson as a preschool paraprofessional for one day a week and Marie Strand as a preschool paraprofessional for three days a week.
• Acknowledged the activities director report the highlighted participation numbers in fall sports that include 19 football players from Henning in grades 9-12 in the Otter Tail Central football program, 43 people in volleyball in grades 6-11 (no seniors are in volleyball this year), and no Henning athletes in the OTC cross country program once again this fall.
• Acknowledged the principal’s report that highlighted the transition into a cell-phone ban for students during the school day. The report stated there has only been one cell phone infraction through the start of the school year. Homecoming week is set for September 28 through October 2 and will include a parade through downtown Henning on Friday, Oct. 2 at 2:30 p.m.
• Acknowledged the superintendent’s report that stated the cafeteria bulk milk system for students in grades 3-12 has been positive with a number of students highlighting the colder temperatures and improved taste of the milk. Students in grades K-2 continue to receive milk cartons.
• Approved setting the 2027 tax levy at the maximum and will allow the school district to potentially lower the tax levy before it is finalized later this year if it should choose to do so.