BEA Board increases levy 5.42%
Hears detailed report from Mandy Fletcher

Pictured above, BEA School Board chairman Sara Hauskins, left, presents a certificate/award to School Board member Susie Rosenau. The certificate is from the Minnesota State School Boards Association, for Rosenau’s attendance at the association events. This was Rosenau’s last meeting as a board member.
The Blue Earth Area School Board held their annual Truth in Taxation hearing as the first item of their meeting on Monday, Dec. 12.
Then later during the regular meeting, the board passed a resolution setting the property tax levy for the school district for next year.
That 2023 levy was set at $3,304,533, up from $3,134,692 for the current 2022 year. That is a 5.42 percent increase.
The overall budget for the 2022-2023 school year is at $16,361,788.
Fiscal Services coordinator Alan Wilhelmi explained the overall budget and the property tax numbers during the Truth in Taxation Hearing. Some of those numbers showed an increase in the General Fund, but decreases in the Community Service Fund and Debt Service Fund.
No members of the public were in attendance at the Truth in Taxation Hearing.
During the regular meeting the board members also heard a detailed report from superintendent Mandy Fletcher concerning the Strategic Roadmap/Three Year Operational Plan.
The report covered the four areas of goals for the district, then she gave a report on what has been done to attain those goals during the last school year, the current school year, and what is proposed for the next school year.
Fletcher also informed the board of an event being planned for Jan. 30, called “Escape the Vape.” It will include speakers from the Faribault County Sheriff’s Office, UHD healthcare professionals and SHIP (Statewide Health Improvement Program) personnel.
It will be held during the day for students, and there will be a program in the evening for parents and others at 6:30 p.m. and a free meal for everyone at 6 p.m.
In other business, the BEA Board also:
• Approved a resolution ratifying and confirming the school calendar for 2022-2023. The one major change was to include a week-long spring break.
• Approved the certified staff seniority list and the non-certified staff seniority list for 2022-2023.
• Approved a Joint Powers Agreement with the City of Blue Earth which covered shared maintenance of sports facilities.
• Approved a memorandum of understanding with Eunoia Family Resource Center which would allow them to have an on site therapist at the school one day a week.
This would allow them to see their clients at the school instead of the student taking off a half day to go to their office.
• Approved a resolution that would establish a combined polling place in the event of a special election not held on the day of a statewide election.
• Accepted a donation of $500 from Winnebago Manufacturing which will help support the Bucc-y Weekend Backpack program which will start up in the new year, for Kindergarten through second grade students.
• Approved a World’s Best Workforce summary report.
• Approved the final reading of a policy that concerns the procedure for naming rights to district owned buildings and sites.
• Took care of several personnel matters, including: hiring Ryan Hennegar and Amber Lein as paraprofessionals; hiring Brent Nissen for maintenance; approved Jean Wagner’s retirement, and thanked her for her 17 years of service.