Screen Photo Minot Public Schools Business Manager Laura Dokken, at left, answers a question during a discussion around the 2024-2025 budget at Thursday’s regular school board meeting at the Administration Building. To Dokken's left is a member of the Minot Education Association, Sabrina Herrmann, Lacey Laudenschlager and Mitch Kraft.

The Minot Public School Board approved a preliminary budget Thursday that asks for $283,505 in additional property taxes for 2025.

The board discussed the preliminary school tax levy and looked ahead to changes in school athletics and activities at its recent meeting.

Despite the total mills decreasing by three mills compared to this year, district information shows the preliminary budget includes an increase in tax collections. The total tax request is $34.77 million from a levy of 136.84 mills. The proposed budget for 2024-2025 has a projected deficit of $3.4 million, with expenses of $128.4 million and revenue of about $125 million.

The budget includes increases to wages and benefits previously agreed to by the board with the unions representing educators, bus drivers and facilities staff. The total wages and benefits for staff accounts for about $105 million of the budget.

MPS Business Manager Laura Dokken said the decrease in student count continues to be a concern, and the board needs to be prepared for further impacts on revenue when interest rates come down.

“There’s a lot of changes in this budget – a lot of expense code changes. There’s a lot of staff that have moved around. So our budget to actuals and things may look a little bit different because we’re moving people around in the district and adding a new middle school and high school,” Dokken said.

Louser said as a new board member he thought a retreat would be appropriate to get answers to the large number of questions he had on the budget’s line items in preparation for coming meetings.

Dokken reviewed the North Dakota K-12 funding formula worksheet with the board, and highlighted a decrease of $2 million in payments from the state due to the drop in active daily attendance within the district. The formula applies additional deductions to the calculated state contribution based on the amount of local revenue collected in property and other taxes, leaving a state aid payment of $76 million.

“We’re getting local revenue, so the state will take that away from us,” Dokken said. “We had one of the largest increases in state revenue, and we’re actually having some difficulty with that in our budget.”

Dokken also said a number of the significant line items, such as salaries and benefits, could not be changed as certified contracts have gone out and the school year begins in the next two weeks.

“That’s why it is difficult for school budgets, because you’re already in the process already. If we really want to talk about a lot of changes in winter – what we want to work on in the next year – so, there’s things you can look at here. Then we’d want to get some ideas of what you’re looking at so we can look at it and bring something back to you on recommendations,” Dokken said.

The board approved the preliminary budget and levy and scheduled the public budget hearing for Thursday, Sept. 12, at 5:30 p.m. at the Minot Area Workforce Academy. The board still can make budget changes but cannot increase total spending. The vote on a final budget is set for a meeting in October.

Dokken also reviewed the district’s revenue and expenses from July as it closed out the 2023-2024 fiscal year. The ending fund balance for 2023-2024 was $21 million, with a budget deficit of $2.35 million.

Activities update

Activities Director Mitch Lunde updated the board on the current landscape for activities in the district, which has expanded considerably with two high schools. Lunde said soccer and football practices had commenced on the new turf at Minot North. Soccer and football are two of 94 teams from grades 9-12 that will be supported at Magic City Campus and Minot North.

“In the past we probably had 45 or 46. Obviously, with the new school opening up, the opportunities for kids will be available. We’ve seen the numbers are good with the splits for the start of the fall. We separate a little bit, the competitive level – people talk about whether it will go up or down. We want to be the best, but when you separate kids they’re going to learn how to compete and get after it. Ninety-four teams is, to me, amazing,” Lunde said.

Lunde said some activities such as swimming and diving will initially be co-op between the two schools until the construction on the Minot North pool is completed at the conclusion of the fall term. Boys and girls hockey will likely split in the future, while other activities, such as cross country and wrestling, will depend on whether North’s numbers swell in the coming years. Lunde said the board will have to consider a co-op name for the Minot schools, citing West Fargo United as an example.

Lunde said the North Dakota High School Athletics Association is closing the door on being able to compete for students who elect to transfer between the two high schools, unless the transfer is approved by principals and meets specific criteria. Students hoping to compete in athletics must now physically move into the designated boundaries to be eligible to immediately play for a given school.

Lunde said there are around 20 different fine arts activities between the two schools, which have their own band, choir, drama and speech programs. Lunde said the continuity in the 9-12 system at the high schools would be a boon for students in the district as they progress in their high school careers.

Lunde applauded the collaboration and cooperation among the coaches and athletics staff at both schools, but said, “The rivalry is on.”

“That’s a good thing. We’re excited to have that in-town rivalry. So, I give a lot of props to our coaches that worked together, but are ready to compete,” Lunde said.

Lunde said changes are coming for ticketing and livestreaming of games in the district. Lunde indicated broadcasts of games will now utilize the Hudl camera system to provide more options for the public to watch games from home.

Season passes and tickets will be accessible for purchase digitally through Go Pass. Lunde said the hope is to transition to a ticketless system in the near future. A single season pass will ensure entrance into varsity games at both high schools. Any adult spectator ejected from an event will be banned from attending for three games.