Dixon Public Schools, Rock Falls High School to hold public hearings on budgets

As taxing bodies, budgets must be approved by Sept. 30

Members of the Dixon Public Schools board of education, from a May 18 photograph. Back row, from left, Rachel Cocar, Melissa Gates, Jon Wadsworth and Linda Leblanc-Parks; front row, Brandon Rogers, Kathleen Schaefer and board President Linda Wegner.

Dixon Public Schools and Rock Falls High School will hold public hearings Wednesday evening on their respective spending plans for the current school year.

After public comments, the hearing will conclude and the September board of education meetings will enter regular session.

During the regular meetings the boards will vote on the proposed budgets. Approval by the end of the month gives the district the ability to expend funds and authorizes it to act as a taxing authority.

Dixon begins its meeting at 6 p.m. at the administrative center located at 1335 Franklin Grove Road.

Rock Falls will convene earlier than usual, starting at 6:50 p.m. at Room 137 at the high school.

Dixon

During its Aug. 10 meeting, Dixon Public Schools proposed spending nearly $31.4 million.

Based on revenue estimates, the district should finish the school year June 30, 2023, with $357,000 left over.

Applied to the existing balance, the district will have $8.3 million in savings.

The largest portion of the district budget is its education fund, which is allocated $26.7 million. From that, employees’ salaries and benefits and related outlays come to $16.3 million.

Spending for support services is about $5.9 million, while community services gets more than $4.2 million.

Operations and maintenance gets almost $2.5 million. The transportation fund is almost $2.3 million.

Rock Falls High School board member Jan McKanna talks to board President Merle Gaulrapp about the improvements made to Tabor Gymnsium during a tour of ongoing renovation on Wednesday.

Rock Falls

The district said at its Aug. 17 meeting it plans to spend $11.7 million. Most of the costs are associated with the education fund.

Spending in the district’s education fund has increased in each of the past three years, from $7.5 million in 2020 to $8.6 million in 2021 to $8.7 million in 2022.

The agenda for the regular meeting shows it will take up the resignation of board member Roger Carlson.

The administration also plans to provide enrollment figures from the sixth day of attendance, the number of students attending Whiteside Area Care Center and the Bi-County Special Education Cooperative in Sterling, enrollment numbers from the feeder schools and a participation report on fall sports and activities.

Troy Taylor

Troy E. Taylor

Was named editor for Saukvalley.com and the Gazette and Telegraph in 2021. An Illinois native, he has been a reporter or editor in daily newspapers since 1989.