At its regular meeting Thursday night, the West Prairie school board set the tentative 2008 tax levy at $3,246,452, set against a projected $57,000 equalized assessment evaluation (EAV). The levy is a slight increase from the 2007 levy, which was set at $3,113,300.

District superintendent Jonathan Heerboth said it was his recommendation that the board should levy with the assumption that the district's EAV will continue to rise. A hog confinement will be moving into the tax district this year, but Heerboth said it was unknown what effect that will have on the EAV.

"It's always a shot in the dark," Heerboth said about trying to guess the final 2008 EAV.

The 2008 levy is 9 percent more than the $2,966,766 that was actually extended from last year's levy, which requires the district to hold a Truth in Taxation public hearing.
The board set the hearing for 7 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 18, at the West Prairie Middle School in Colchester.

During discussion and action items Thursday, the board heard a report on the district's 10-year health and life safety inspections. According to Heerboth, the building inspector suggested a section of the South Elementary roof should be patched and repaired. The board approved a motion to pay $10,000 for the roof repairs.

Heerboth also noted that the North Elementary school was due for a 10-year inspection, although the building was originally not scheduled to be checked by the district's building inspector.

On Heerboth's recommendation, the board approved a motion to have the North Elementary inspected.

In other discussion Thursday, the board heard a report from high school agriculture teacher Ann Runner, who presented plans to turn an 8-acre plot of land next to the middle school into a hay field.

The hay field, she said, would serve as an educational opportunity for West Prairie students and also generate a small revenue for the district. West Prairie agriculture students would maintain and manage the field, and Runner said she already had a list of students who were interested in assisting with the project.

"I think, ultimately, the hay will give us the best (financial) return year after year," she said about choosing hay.

Runner said the district would not see the first hay harvest until 2011, because corn and soybeans would need to be planted first.

Once harvested, Runner said, the hay would generate 150 bushels an acre.
Runner said her ultimate goal with the field would be to start harvesting organic hay, which turns a higher profit. However, the process for obtaining organic certification would take three to five years.

The next regular board meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 18, immediately following the 7 p.m. Truth in Taxation hearing.