Litchfield School Board Meeting
The Litchfield School Board approved of the preliminary 2023-2024 budget last night. Revenues are projected to be at 23-point-5-million-dollars with expenses at about $22-million.
Business Manager Jesse Johnson says the Legislature approved of a 4% increase in the formula this past session, but also came up with 52-pages of policy changes so that could affect the budget. He says 78% of the school’s budget comes from the State and 73% of the expenses are for salaries and benefits.
The Litchfield School Board also set a public hearing for July 24th at 6 p.m. to consider granting a proposed property tax abatement. The abatement would provide nearly 2-million-dollars which could be used for parking lots to flank the new Litchfield Area Recreation Center. There is also 1-point-5-million-dollars that are unused from the 2019 levy that could be used for constructing new tennis courts.
Also last night, the Litchfield School Board scheduled a work session for July 10th at 3 p.m., approved of a request to join the West Central Conference for Boy’s Swimming, and approved of a resolution accepting several donations: $6,840 from the Litchfield Goal Line Club for the football program; $550 from MN Darkhouse & Angling West Central Chapter for trap shooting; $500 from Peter & Elizabeth Forsman for trap shooting; $250 from Rick Plumbing & Heating for trap shooting; $250 from Grow Rite, Inc. for trap shooting; and $300 from Litchfield Golf Club, Inc. for the Ripley Jumpstart Program.
And…Congratulations to the Litchfield High School Marching Band for receiving the Grand Champion award Monday night in the Roseville parade. The band had a score of 80.4, took first place in Class-A and had the best overall color guard.