Millage increase now in doubt for Perryville

PERRYVILLE — Perryville School Board President Brian Hill said Tuesday that he is 95 percent sure the district won’t seek a millage increase in the Sept. 20 school election.

The district has a 1960s cafeteria with “zero life” left, Hill has said, and the gym is not air conditioned. The board has for months considered seeking a property-tax increase for construction of a cafeteria and to add air conditioning to the gym.

Superintendent Walt Davis said Monday morning that he didn’t think the district would seek a millage increase until next year.

“We want more time to game-plan instead of trying to quick-hit it,” he said.

However, Hill said the board discussed options at its meeting Monday night.

“We threw some different ideas out, but more than likely, it’s going to be next year,” Hill said. “I don’t know if there’s any way we possibly can [get it on the ballot] for September.”

Hill said the district missed the deadline to get matching state funding for the construction of the new cafeteria and to add air conditioning to the gymnasium.

He said Davis planned to talk Tuesday with investment firm Stephens Inc. of Little Rock, but

Davis could not be reached for comment.

Hill said if a property-tax increase is sought, it likely would be “1, possibly 2, mills.”

The district’s millage is 34.98. One mill would generate approximately $53,000 for the district.

“I feel like we’re in a lot better shape than was projected,” Davis said. “As far as our fiscal services, last year we finished with $2.9 million; this year, $2.8 million.”

Davis said Monday that the district is not totally out of the woods.

“Over the course of this next year, we’re going to kind of develop our plan to move into that. I’ve been talking to members of [the state Department of Education] fiscal services; I feel like we’re going to be OK,” he said.

Davis, who started as Perryville’s superintendent July 1, led the Hector School District out of fiscal distress as its superintendent. He also oversaw a reduction-in-force policy to save money in Hector. It was one reason Hill said Davis was the right man for the job.

The Perryville School District has 948 students in kindergarten through the 12th grade. The district’s enrollment has declined by 106 students in the past decade. Although the district is not in fiscal distress, the loss of students has negatively impacted state funding, officials have said.

The good news, Davis said, is that the district won’t enact a reduction-in-force policy. Perryville was considering a reduction in force under former Superintendent Ron Wilson, who retired.

“We were able to not replace a few positions,” Davis said. “I think that is going to be enough right now to take care of the loss of students. We don’t see an immediate need for that, which is great news.

“We’re in a little bit better shape than [board members] thought, but certainly we’re going to be watching it.”

Senior writer Tammy Keith can be reached at (501) 327-0370 or tkeith@arkansasonline.com.

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