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Decatur ISD cuts tax rate

Trustees approve contract for interim superintendent

While property values are up, property owners in Decatur ISD will get a break on the tax rate.

During its meeting Monday morning, Decatur ISD trustees decided to propose a total tax rate of $1.21 – 97 cents for maintenance and operations and 24 cents for debt service. The rate is 9.5 cents below last year’s rate at $1.305. The district will look to approve the tax rate and the 2019-20 budget at 8 a.m. Aug. 29.

The new school finance law signed by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott following the latest legislative session, House Bill 3, compressed district’s maintenance and operations rates from $1.04 to 97 cents. With the district’s tax roll jumping 11.4 percent from $2.3 billion to $2.566 billion, the district was able to drop the debt service rate and still cover the $5.694 million in debt payments and fees.

Trustees gave their consent to decrease the debt service rate from 26.5 cents to the proposed 24 cents. The district is expected to break even or have a slight surplus with its debt service account with the rate decrease.

“It’s the second year in a row we’ve been able to give a net decrease in the rate for our stakeholders and taxpayers,” said School Board President Charlie Tibbels. “If we don’t have to tax the higher rate, it’s important to take care of our stakeholders. Hopefully, they will remember it and take care of us in the future.”

Tibbels said the district is currently holding off any construction plans while looking for a new superintendent and getting a more firm focus on facilities needs.

“We want to be proactive and get ready for the facilities we will need in 10 years,” Tibbels said. “We will need to expand at the high school. The elementary is sitting good. But from sixth [grade] up, we will need to take a hard look at our needs.

“Dropping the tax for a second year, we hope the taxpayers see we are taking care of our funds.”

In other action, trustees approved a monthly contract with Brett Springston as the district’s interim superintendent. Springston will serve as the interim superintendent and also lead the search for the permanent superintendent with Walsh, Gallegos, Trevino, Russo and Kyle. The district’s timeline for the search will start with a survey to gather community input. Springston said Monday the district could expect to name a lone finalist around December to have a superintendent in place for the second semester.

“We’ll base the timeline off the next meeting,” Springston said. “We’ll set up the survey through the law firm. [As the resumes come in], I’ll do a deep dive into the candidates and grade them A,B,C. I’ll grade based on what we discuss as a board of the type of candidate we are looking for and pull all that together.”

Springston said trustees will interview four to six candidates and try to narrow it down to two before picking a lone finalist. The district has to wait 21 days after naming a lone finalist to make a hire.

“It’ll extend through Thanksgiving and possibly Christmas,” he said.

Tibbels reiterated the district is committed to finding the right person for the job and isn’t worried about the time it takes.

“We want to make sure we’re doing a diligent search and make sure we’re finding the right person. I don’t care if it takes two months or 12,” Tibbels said.

“We’re excited about the process. The person coming in here will certainly be vetted and will certainly fit the community.”

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