HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The USD 308 School Board took its first look at a 2019-20 budget that keeps the mill levy for district taxpayers relatively unchanged.

The budget calls for a slight decrease of 0.51 mills. The proposed mill levy for 2019-20 is 54.372, compared to 54.884 in 2018-19. The board later set the formal hearing for the budget for Aug. 26 at the Administration Center.

Also during Monday’s meeting, the board approved closing out the district’s virtual education fund and transferring the $95,765 to special education. This is not new money, but existing money being transferred out of a closed program into special education.

The board also approved the interagency agreement between Early Head Start and the Early Childhood Block Grant through the Hutchinson Community Foundation and approved the Reno County Youth Detention and Shelter Program Process Handbook.

The board also set a special meeting for Sept. 30 at 6 p.m. at the Mid-Town Center to work on strategic planning.

Also during the meeting, they held separate executive sessions for personnel and negotiations with NEA-Hutchinson.