Warden School Board approves levy renewals

WARDEN — The Warden School Board unanimously approved a motion Thursday to renew the district’s educational programs and operations levy and its capital technology initiatives levy. The board also approved the Public School Employees Collective Bargaining Agreement and swore in three student representatives to the board.

Warden School District Superintendent Scott West introduced the levy renewal.

“We had a special board meeting last night and we were going to try to get (in touch) with Cory Plager to see if our thoughts were going to be conservative enough and to make sure that the information that he shared, in the paper and also the packets that he provided, is accurate so we can be able to get the most out of what we're asking of our taxpayers,” West said.

Plager, managing director at D.A. Davidson & Co., presented Warden’s options for renewing the levy at the Oct. 12 school board meeting. Grant County’s estimated preliminary 2024 tax growth is 28.4%, according to Plager’s presentation.

West said that after contacting him again, Plager told the district its levy renewal proposals were conservative. 

If approved, the EP&O levy would replace the existing levy approved by voters in 2022. The technology levy would replace an existing levy designed to make technological improvements in the district, according to the agenda memo.

According to a presentation during the meeting, the EP&O levy is projected to generate about $1.71 million in the first year and about $1.88 million in the second year if it’s approved. Property owners would pay $2.20 per $1,000 of assessed property value the first year, then $2.30 the second year.

Under the new EP&O levy, a property owner with land valued at $200,000 would pay $440 in taxes the first year and $460 the second year. A property owner with land valued at $300,000 would pay $660 the first year and $690 the second year. 

The technology initiatives levy would generate an estimated $155,400 in the first year and an estimated $163,170 in the second year, according to the presentation. If the levy is approved, property owners would pay $0.20 per $1,000 of property value in both years.

With the projected technology initiatives levy, a property owner with land valued at $200,000 would pay $40 in taxes each year, and a property owner with property valued at $300,000 would pay $60 in taxes each year.

“With the numbers that we put in there for the average growth rate, we ended up putting it at 26%, instead of the 5%, and as you can see what that does is the difference as far as the EP&O levy amount is a difference of $1.3 million to $1.7 million,” West said. “It's a replacement levy, it would be the exact same that we’re collecting at this time. At the $2.20 (per $1000 of assessed property) for the EP&O, in addition to the $0.20 for the capital project, also known as the tech levy, it would be at $2.40 ... We felt that that was very conservative.”

At the start of the meeting, the board approved and swore in three student representatives to join the board: Harley Roden, Haley Sicklovan and Nastascia Talbot. 

According to the position posting on the Warden School District website, the student representatives will attend board meetings, special meetings and study sessions, but will not go into executive sessions, and they cannot make a motion or vote on a motion. The representatives will also make a regular report to the board.

The post said that the representatives will be compensated for their involvement with half an elective credit for the year they are on the board. 

“The Warden School District Board of Directors values students' insights and aims to amplify their voices in district education and decisions. Recognizing the importance and value of student communication and perspective, the board has established the School Board Student Representative positions,” said the post. “Student representatives will be pivotal in advocating for student voices, participating in board committees and meetings, and enhancing communication between the Board and the student body.”

Board Chairperson Bryce Cox said during the meeting the board is happy to be working with the students and will be learning the process of having student representatives on the board along with those students. 

Also at the meeting, the board approved the 2023-2026 Public School Employees Collective Bargaining Agreement. There was no discussion, and board member Rick Martin abstained from the vote.

Gabriel Davis may be reached at gdavis@columbiabasinherald.com. Download the Columbia Basin Herald app on iOS and Android.

    D.A. Davidson & Co. Managing Director Cory Plager, right, presents the Warden School District’s options for levy renewals to the Warden School District Superintendent Scott West, right, and Warden School Board members during the Oct. 12 meeting.
 Gabriel Davis/Columbia Basin Herald   

    Faculty and staff wait to provide reports during an August Warden School Board meeting. The board also approved the 2023-2026 Public School Employees Collective Bargaining Agreement during Thursday’s meeting.
 Gabriel Davis/Columbia Basin Herald