Harmony
ISD
Trustees
Harmony
ISD
drops
tax rate
by 30
cents to
1.11896
By JOHN
SPARKS
Meeting
in
regular
session,
Monday,
August
20, the
board of
trustees
of the
Harmony
Independent
School
District
approved
a
reduction
of
30-cents
in the
tax rate
which
translates
to a
reduction
of
$252.92
in
property
taxes on
an
average
residential
home in
the
district.
Properties
in Holly
Lake
Ranch
account
for more
than 80
percent
of the
district’s
appraised
property
tax
collections
on
residences.
The
proposed
tax rate
of
$1.11896
is based
on a
budget
of
$7,765,369
with
$1.04005
going to
Maintenance
&
Operations
(M&O)
and
0.071
going to
Interest
&
Sinking
(I&S).
The I&S
debt was
restructured
resulting
in the
savings
of more
than a
penny on
debt
payments.
Trustees
deliberated
whether
to raise
prices
for
student
food
services.
Last
year the
cafeteria
operation
fell
short by
$30,000.
They
opted
for no
increase
in the
prices
to
students
and will
cover
the
shortfall
with
reserve
funds.
Trustees
also
approved
the
proposed
student
handbook
and the
code of
conduct
for
students.
Superintendent
Jed
Whitaker
told
trustees
that
both
documents
have few
changes.
“Two of
note,”
he said,
“are a
prohibition
on field
trips as
a
consequence
for
misbehavior,
and
tighter
description
of ear
décor.”
The
board
also
adopted
a policy
requiring
those
who wish
to speak
out on
religious
viewpoints
must
register
within a
three-day
period
at the
first of
school.
The
resignation
of Lynne
Perryman,
elementary
teacher,
was
accepted.
Haley
Johnson
was
hired as
an
elementary
teacher.
Whitaker
reported
no
change
in the
trustee
election
dilemma
created
by
legislative
action
in this
past
session.
The
legislature
moved
the
election
of
trustees
to
November
from
May, but
Harmony
and
several
school
districts
are not
located
within
an
incorporated
city
complicating
the
coordination
of
elections
of local
officials.
The next
regular
meeting
of the
Harmony
Board of
Trustees
will be
Monday,
September
17. A
special
meeting
of the
board
can be
called
with
72-hours
notice.
