The Marshall Public Schools Board of Education has made the slightest possible change in the tax rate for 2024.

At Tuesday night’s school board meeting, the school board agreed to an increase of $0.0001 per $100 of assessed valuation, rounding up from the rate set last year of $3.8279, to $3.8280 cents. Superintendent Caleb Petet explains the district’s rationale for the slight increase.

Petet noted that Marshall’s tax levy is on the lower end of levies assessed among the North Central Missouri Conference’s six schools. He also highlighted efforts to increase the district’s reserves, which are entering this school year just shy of 33 percent. Petet has set a goal of increasing Marshall’s reserves to 40 percent.

During public comment, former assistant superintendent Roger Blakely addressed the board concerning student lunch debt and the need to inform more families about the opportunity to apply for free or reduced lunch rates. Petet says he shares Blakely’s concerns.

The Marshall school board also received updates from Nabholz Construction about progress at the new intermediate school, which Petet says remains on track for completion before the start of next school year. Board members also approved their new business as a slate, including a number of policy updates and a new accounting manual. Approved purchases include a 2012 Ford pickup truck for $16,250 and a skid loaded for the Saline County Career Center from Foley Equipment for $65,000, along with implements totaling $9990. The board also approved the list of property that will be sold as surplus on the auction website GovDeals.

Marshall School Board next meets September 10th.