Campbell County school board approves two optional mill levies after debate over public survey

The Campbell County School District #1 Board of Trustees approved two optional mill levies on the consent agenda after more than an hour of discussion about public engagement and transparency.

Trustee (speaker 8) urged the board to table the levies and launch a countywide survey to "educate the public" on what the mill levies fund and to solicit voters’ preferences before continuing the taxes. The trustee said board members had difficulty getting clear budget detail for some partner programs and proposed tabling the vote so the district could collect broader community input.

Trustee (speaker 14) opposed delaying the decision, arguing that the seven-member elected board was chosen to make fiscal decisions and that optional levies are a longstanding part of local funding. “We were elected to make this decision,” the trustee said in defense of immediate action, adding that annual, small mill assessments have funded programs and opportunities that benefit students and the broader community.

The motion to table the levies failed on a voice/roll-call sequence; the board then voted on the original motion to approve the levies. The record in the transcript shows mixed aye/no responses before the chair declared the motion passed.

Board materials listed the levies as: a half-mill for the Board of Cooperative Higher Education Services/VOCE-related funding and a one-mill levy for the County Public Recreation District. The consent agenda item summary provided to trustees appears to be the basis of the motion; the public comment period did not include additional testimony on the levies.

The board proceeded to recess after the vote and continued with the rest of its agenda.

What happens next: Because the levies were approved on the consent agenda, the district will proceed with the collection/administration process described in its budget documents unless future board action is taken to modify or rescind the levies.