Fairbury School Board Looks To Raise Levy

By Gordon HopkinsThe Fairbury Public Schools Board of Education discussed a 2025-2026 levy request of 0.799021 at a meeting Monday evening, September 8, 2025. That is a change of 7.33 percent.A state law intended to improve transparency to taxpayers requires the issuance of pink postcards to property owners in the event of possible tax increase. The board held a special meeting the previous Wednesday, September 2, to discuss the budget, to discuss options. The three options considered were: 2.32 percent tax change request, which would require no pink postcards, 7.33 percent, which would require pink postcards, and 11.12 percent, which would require pink postcards.Superintendent Dr. Devin Embray noted that the school has some anticipated expenses for buildings.“Jefferson North is looking at about $50 grand, little under $50 grand, that we have to have done by the end of next summer,” said Embray. “What we’re asking for, food service equipment-wise there, is to put a suppression hood ventilation system there for the stoves that they have there, because that’s not the code what we currently have.”In addition, the roof of the 47 Building is in dire need of repair. Embray said, “The roof estimates are coming in. We had one company that gave us an estimate two years ago at around $800,000, $850,000.”The 7.33 percent option was referred to in the board meeting as the “partial pink postcard” option because the tax request would not ask for the full amount that the 11.12 percent did.Board member Dr. Jonathan Winter asked, “Everybody’s getting hit hard with taxes because the valuations went up this year. So, I guess I’m asking, can we still get everything done by softening the blow and go partial this year, partial next year? Or is this something where everything’s in big enough disrepair that we really need to do the full one?”Embray indicated the partial would provide the needed funding for the buildings.The board opted for the “partial pink postcard” option. Winter said, “If that roof caves in, that’s a bond issue, and that bond issue is going to cost our taxpayers substantially more than this small increase.”

$200,000 Tort Claim Withdrawn, Legal Action May Follow

Commissioners Approve Permits For Well Field

Related Articles

High Winds Fuel Multiple Wild Fires in SE Nebraska

Sen. Ricketts Makes the Case for War

City Offices Closed During Move

A Broken Wire Over Railroad Tracks Leaves City in the Dark