West Bonner to discuss possible levy

PRIEST RIVER — West Bonner County School District trustees will have three possible levy options to pick from at Wednesday's school board meeting.

The possible levy amounts — just under $1.05 million, just under $1.09 million, and just over $1.13 million — are almost identical except for the amount earmarked toward a school resource officer position. In all three scenarios, the levy would run for a one-year term.

The amount of a possible supplemental levy could depend on a possible grant from the state to finance the SRO position.

Under the contract approved by West Bonner on July 31 and the city of Priest River on Aug. 5, the contract includes $70,000 provided by the district for the salary of the officer and funds for equipment, vehicle maintenance, fuel, overtime, and training. 

To cover the costs, WBCSD earmarked $72,634 from its Safe and Drug Free Schools fund and $3,300 from its general fund. However, the district also moved at the July 31 meeting to pursue a grant from the state to finance the SRO position. If the grant is secured, the Safe and Drug Free Schools fund will be replenished to its original amount. 

In the first possible levy amount — $1,049,510 — the proposed resolution does not include any funding for the SRO position. The second possible levy amount — $1,089,785 — the proposed resolution includes funding for half of the position, while a third — $1,113,060 — includes funding for the entire amount of $80,550.

The remaining items on the resolutions are identical: $395,300 to fund all extracurricular and co-curricular activities, including transportation; $360,900 to purchase two new school buses; $100,000 in additional funding for the district's child nutrition program; $70,000 for curriculum costs; $25,450 for a part-time payroll/AP clerk position; $22,960 for a part-time custodian position; $16,200 to subcontract for snow removal; and $58,700 for software and technology expenses.

The cost to the district's taxpayers would be an estimated $22 per $100,000 of taxable assessed value per year for the two lowest amounts. The highest possible levy amount would cost taxpayers an estimated $23 per $100,000 of taxable assessed value per year.

If the board votes to put a supplemental levy before voters, it would be the third time in the past several years that West Bonner has put such a measure before voters. A $9.4 million, two-year levy was rejected by voters in May 2023, as was a $4.68 million, one-year supplemental levy in May 2024.

The deadline for submitting a November ballot question is Sept. 6. If the board wants to ask voters to pass a levy this election season, it will need to bring forth and approve a ballot resolution at Wednesday's meeting or schedule a special meeting before Sept. 6.

The Aug. 21 meeting will be held at 6 p.m. in the Priest River Lamanna High School cafeteria, 596 Highway 57, and livestreamed on the district’s Facebook page.