The state requires that school districts set their maximum budget authority for capital outlay funds every five years. Our resolution expired this year and in order to levy any amount of capital outlay the board must pass new resolution. The state also sets the maximum budget authority for school capital outlay funds. The maximum in Kansas currently is 8 mills, which is up from 6 mills which was the amount when the last resolution was passed by the USD 336 Board. Approving the 8 mill maximum budget authority does not mean that the board is raising its mill levy, it just gives the board the authority to levy up to that amount. The reason the maximum was raised to 8 mills is due to the fact that the Kansas Legislature is placing more responsibility on the local school board to finance schools. An example of that is that in years past when the school board levied one mill of capital outlay the state would provide 46% of that amount to the district. This pass year the legislature eliminated that 46% for capital outlay, (they did not eliminate the 46% for bonds for construction, just capital outlay). Since I have been here the board has never raised the capital outlay mill levy over 4 mills. This past year the amount was 2.25 mills. It was the consensus of the board and I agree that in these times of serious financial constraints it would be wise to have the authority in case of emergencies.

To get to the point of what the protest means. Since 10% of the registered voters of USD 336 signed the petition there now must be an election to determine if the board can levy capital outlay funds up to 8 mills. This item is on the agenda for tonight’s school board meeting. It is first on the agenda.

The board has one of three choices. 1) Call a special election for a vote on the question, 2) wait till the primary election, which is August 4 and put the question on that ballot, 3) wait till November and put it on the general election.

In number 1 the school district would have to pay the full amount for the cost of the special election; in number 2 the board would have to pay for the set up and printing of the ballots as they pertain to the question – the district would have to do that in all 3 options. Number 3 is really a bad choice; if the board waited till November to put the question on the ballot we would not be able to levy any capital outlay for this coming school year. The 2nd choice has its challenges also, we would be cutting it very close to have the election, get the election certified, then publishing the budget (must be published in the paper at least 10 days prior to the hearing) and then having the budget hearing. The deadline date to have the budget finalized is August 25th.

Some have asked why we don’t just levy what we did last year. This is not an option our resolution for capital outlay has expired so we are at “0″ until there is an election. If it passes, the board can levy up to 8 mills; if it fails, we are still at 0.
This does create challenges for the district if we have no capital outlay. We currently have two loan payments that must be paid next year, one is for the roof repairs on the Middle School that was made 4 years ago, and the final payment on the computers for the 1 to 1 lap top at the high school. These two loans total $235,000. (The computer payment has been made from LOB in the past; it was my intent to make this payment out of capital outlay next year, which would leave more in general fund and LOB for operating and salaries) We would then have to depend on the General Fund to make these loan payments if we had no capital.

Upon returning home from the social, turned brawl, the brothers become terribly heartsick for their girls. When winter sets in Adam reads the story about the “sobbin’” women  and they decide to kidnap the girls (and a minister), bring them back home and marry them. After accomplishing this goal, an angry Milly scolds the boys and sends them all to live in the barn. Adam, upset at Milly, leaves to the  mountain cabin to live by himself. By the time spring rolls around, the brothers and the girls are in love and begin courting. At the spring thaw a changed Adam returns home to find his wife and newborn daughter waiting for him. The snow clears and the angry suitors make their way up to the house in the mountains to hang the brothers and retrieve their daughters. A melee erupts and the ending surprises the brothers, brides and townspeople.

The FCCLA Breakfast Café  serves breakfast in the mornings on white days. It was created to raise money for FCCLA to go on trips, attend nationals, and buy more food.

“Brittany McKenna came up with the idea last year for a fundraiser, and it has stuck ever since,” Amy Oldehoeft, FCCLA sponsor said.

The food is prepared every white day morning by the Leadership for Life zero hour class. They have a different group run the café every week.

“It’s really hard sometimes getting up so early, but when I know there is food awaiting me, it helps,” Justine Powls, sophomore café worker, said.  The class prepares biscuits, sausage gravy, breakfast burritos, and eggs. Other items include pop tarts, honey buns, juice, and fruit.

“A big hit is the biscuits and gravy,” Emily Zwonitzer, sophomore café worker, said.

So far they have had good business.

“On late start mornings when the teachers have their meetings we go up and take orders; they seem to like getting breakfast that way,” Rachelle Harman, sophomore café worker, said.

The café is open every white day from 7:30 to 7:50 before school, except on late start, whenit is open until 8:15.

The café is located down in Oldehoeft’s room.

Along with early morning fundraisers, Oldehoeft is thinking of new ideas to inspire her foods class with reai life examples.

Adam Stauffer, former Holton High School student, conquered his dream of continuing his culinary education and becoming a pastry chef. With his recent appearance in a foods and education class, he is using his knowledge to benefit others.

Stauffer gave advice to aspiring cooks and even taught the class how to make one of his favorite bread dishes. He taught the students how to properly handle many food items and even gave them a little inside view on the life of a chef. He answered questions and brought portfolios he has made for the class to learn from.

Stauffer’s classes require him to stand for multple hours at a time “which is the downfall” but his favorite part is being able to “bake for hours on end.”

“It’s what I love,” he said

There was a chili cook-off, which came in handy when people couldn’t feel their fingers any more, and a soup cook-off, and booths set up around the square and inside the courthouse.

For $8.00 tasters could sample all of the chili; for $5, people could taste ten different chilies. I got to taste all of them. They came in every form you could imagine. There was hot chili, chili with chicken, barbeque chili, sweet chili, beanless chili, meatless chili, sauceless chili, and even chili with potatoes in it.

The chili cook- off was more than just a competition of chili. The booths were well decorated too. The winning chili’s booth was decked out in tie-dye and all of the cooks were dressed as hippies. I would like to note that one of the members of that booth also won the pie-eating contest. He got a high five from me.

There were even some HHS students involved. Nelson Bontrager, sophomore, was inside the courthouse at the Holton Arts Council booth showing off some of his artwork and playing his guitar. Ellie Stauffer, junior, entered the soup cook-off.

“Ellie’s soup was delicious!” said Kelsey Wilson, Senior “I wish I could have eaten more than just the little sample cup.”

Amy Oldehoeft, FACS teacher, Karen Beightel and Karen Ford judged the pie and salsa contests.

“It was quite an experience getting to sample all the various pies,” Oldehoeft said. “I wouldn’t suggest taste-testing the salsa prior to tasting the pies, your taste buds get confused.

Sam Riley and Christa Hill, sophomores, won the pie division with a first-place, “We really weren’t expecting to win,” Hill said. “When we were told we won we didn’t believe them, but it was a great surprise.” Riley Said.

I wasn’t alone in the tasting of the chili’s Morgen Smith, freshman, escorted me and had half of my sample.

“Even though it was literally freezing, it was definitely worth going to,” Smith said.