Crosby passes budget and hires new staff

Robert Desti

CROSBY – The tax increase was accepted 6 to 1 by the vote of the board, there was no public comment.

At the public hearing concerning the new budget for Crosby Independent School District no member of the public came forward to tell the school board that holding bond elections within the schools to benefit from them was in any way questionable, or that a new tax just before the implementation of affordable healthcare goes into effect might imperil local property owners, so the will of the courageous people was enforced. No complaint was represented.

Other than board members, new administrators and key teachers, no one showed up except a reporter last Monday.

Joann Crawford was the single dissenting vote and attributed that to a legal issue that has a pending legal opinion. She said she did not have an opportunity to bring forth the legal issue.

The proposed maintenance and operations rate ($1.17 per $100 valuation) is the same as last year, the Interest and Sinking debt service tax rate will rise from 27¢ normative to 50¢. In total as published in the Star-Courier on page 6 July 25 was and is $1.67 per $100 valuation from last year’s $1.44 due to the rollback tax. A bond referendum vote was held May 11.

A single amendment was made in the motion to change from the 132th day of August to the 12th of August for the date enacted.

The board will tackle issues like are private tutors allowed in the classrooms during school hours. President John Lindsey asked to see a new telephone list and the board has asked for an organizational chart.