Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
ODESSA — The local school district prefers to run its levies on an annual basis, asking voters to assist with funding for educational programs, operations and capital projects. Next year will be no different, as the school district will put two levies on the ballot in a special election Feb. 13.
The district is asking voters to approve an educational programs and operations levy (EP&O) totaling $625,000 for collection in 2025. That estimates to $1.89 per $1,000 assessed property value, business manager Staci Claassen said.
Superintendent Steve Fisk said the EP&O levy funds a wide range of extracurricular activities and programs.
“Typically, that levy will fund middle and high school athletics and activities, transportation outside of basics like getting kids to school, co-curricular activities,” Fisk said. “It helps with school safety improvements, which our voters have asked us to look at. It helps fund our preschool.”
Fisk said the funds are also used for some staffing and technology and curriculum updates.
Additionally, the district hopes voters will approve a capital projects levy to collect $125,000 in 2025, which Claassen said comes out to $0.38 per $1,000 assessed property value.
Fisk said the capital projects levy helps support facilities improvements, including sidewalks, plumbing, electrical and heating operations.
Voters traditionally pass levies in Odessa. That held true in last February’s general election, when three levies were approved for collection in 2024.
In 2024, the district will collect $600,000 on its EP&O levy, or $1.86 per $1,000 assessed property value, and $125,000 on the capital projects levy, or $0.37 per $1,000 assessed property value.
Additionally, the district will collect $150,000, or $0.47 per $1,000 assessed property value, on a one-time school bus levy approved last February. Fisk said that school bus is expected to be delivered by springtime.
“A big thank-you to the voters for supporting our students year after year,” Fisk said.
Drew Lawson is the editor of the Davenport Times. He is a graduate of Eastern Washington University.
Reader Comments(0)