The Mauston School board approved the annual budget for the 2015-2016 school year at a special meeting on Monday night. The board also approved the tax levy is $7.7 million, making the mil rate $11.96 per $1,000. Business Manager Julie Lankey-Smallwood said that’s down 19 cents from last year’s mil rate, which was $12.15 per $1,000.
The board also approved a track and field project survey and a campus fields survey. Board President Carrie Buss said the surveys are important to begin before winter, otherwise the whole process gets delayed. The topographic investigation will examine the surface of the high school track to determine what the district should do for renovation. The track has a rubberized surface on the top, followed by an asphalt base and a gravel base underneath. Buss said they are unsure of the asphalt surface underneath the rubber and what condition it is in, and it was very hard to budget for. The topographic study on the high school soccer practice field and junior varsity baseball field located behind Grayside Elementary will look at drainage issues for the two fields.
The board then held a workshop on updating the district’s safety plan. The workshop included board members, administration and local law enforcement. Superintendent Christine Weymouth said the plan has been around a while and many things do not apply any more. The board discussed the A.L.I.C.E. training method. The acronym stands for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evaluate. Mauston Police Lieutenant Mike Zilisch said it isn’t teaching violent techniques to students, it’s giving staff options and informing kids of better ways to stay safe. District staff at Mauston will start A.L.I.C.E. training in January. Weymouth said they will continue to work on the plan and will bring something to the board before the end of the year.