SHERBURN — The Martin County West (MCW) School Board had a public meeting for Truth in Taxation information on Monday evening before the School Board’s regular meeting. The County Assessor, Mike Sheplee, presented the Proposed Tax for 2025 and explained the legislature-approved changes that would affect 2025 taxes.

One change is the amount of homestead exclusion, or “credit” increasing from $2,50,000 to $3,500,000 for agricultural land and buildings. The increase for residential was from $30,000 to $38,000 depending on the value of the property. The low-income rental rate changed from 0.75 percent to 0.25 percent. He also explained what is called Tax Shifts. What is levied is assessed on behalf of each taxing entity. Each parcel is allocated tax using estimated market values, class rates, referendum market value, exclusions, and credits. The maximum Ag Credit is $490 per ag property owner. An example was the rise in market value of land in 2023 by 40 percent. When asked what can one do the answers were to get information to understand levies and file for property tax refunds available to you in Aug. 2025. Use form M1PR for Minnesota-handled taxes. Apply for Agriculture Homestead by Dec. 31, and also Residential Homestead if recently moved or have a qualifying relative living on property you own. Veterans with a disability rate of 70 percent should also apply by Dec. 31.

The tax levy information was also shared for a 20-year General Obligation Bond with wrapped debt service for $64.7 million for MCW. The change in property tax was given per classification and evaluation as a chart. He also refuted the claims voiced before the elections and explained that the information was not quite correct about the tax amounts and classifications and invited concerned citizens to get information from his office.

The Business Manager for the School District, Dan Schroeder, also presented information about the General Obligation School Building Bond. He reminded the board and others that the state formula per student has not kept pace with inflation and the 2023-2024 school year’s four percent was decreased to two percent for the 2024-2025 school year. The Ag to School Credit is 70 percent which was started in 2018. He reported the percent of change for the four funds of the school district. The General Fund change was minus 5.4 percent, the Food Service change was minus 13.74 percent (due in part to free meals), the Community Service fund change was minus 3.6 percent, and the Debt Service fund’s change was plus 40.2 percent (due to school building bond).

The revenue for the School District is 75 percent from State Aid and 2.6 percent from Federal Aid. The levy is payable in 2025. The bond is for 20 years. The School Board had several questions that he answered. Some members of the public that were present also asked for some explanations which were received. One question was asked about the sale of the Welcome School properties and where that money would go. Superintendent Reynolds explained that part of the bond was expenses to demolish the Welcome School building and if the property was not sold it would be taken off the market and demolished.

The regular school board meeting continued with reports and approval of the consent agenda.

Superintendent Reynolds reported an enrollment of 632 students, and that 42 percent of the budgeted finances have been used. She also reported on the building project with the schematic design done and the committees for oversight, interior, and building consolidation working on their part of the project. The alternatives for the football field group are also working on that project. The District highlights included the Holiday Concert and the great showing for the Martin County Know How robotics teams when one team took first place combined with another Martin County team and two MCW teams combined and also placed. The grade 7 STEM had four speakers. The School Musical Play “Anastasia” was shown by students from Grades 7 to 12. About 90 students were helped with Holiday Gifts made possible by the MCW FFA project. Reports from the High School-Principal Autumn Welcome, and Trimont’s Principal, Michelle Baker were given. The High School will have a meeting about the rules for the PSEO (college credits in High School) program each semester and they are interviewing for a custodian position. In Trimont, there will be keyboarding classes, and the students in Grades 6, 8, 9, and 11 will do a Minnesota Student Survey later.

In other business:

— The board approved the Hiring of Caitlin Gilmore and Daniel Caulkins as custodians in Trimont School and Renee Amis as a bus driver.

— The board accepted the following donations to the Try Day Friday program in the school: from MCW FFA $200; State Farmer’s Bank $100; Kent and Jolynn Janssen $50; MCW Juniors Volleyball $100; Sinn Family Celebration of Life Center $100; Trimont Area Women $200; and United Ag Tech $50.