Following a public hearing on the budget that attracted no one from the public beyond the local media, the board approved a budget of just over $9.453 million in total expenditures-an increase of $706,518 from the previous year.

With transfers totaling $1.539 million, the net expenditures for 2006-07 are $7.206 million.

The total amount of taxes to be levied by the district is $1.512 million, requiring an estimated tax rate of 50.922, which is the same as the previous year.

With the bottom line of the budget approved, the board turned to staff salaries.

Following four 10-minute executive sessions to discuss the salaries of specific personnel, the board agreed to give classified staff, including administrators, making less than $57,000 per year a 7 percent pay increase.

Classified staff and administrators making more than $57,000 per year will receive a pay increase of 4 percent.

Teacher salaries will also increase by 7 percent pending the outcome of a meeting of the Interest Based Bargaining team on Aug. 30.

"We looked at where we stood compared to similar districts, and we know we're a little behind," Superintendent Gordon Mohn said after the meeting.

"So our board has been looking at ways to try to catch us up. They hope that if everyone else is settling at 5 (percent), we could settle at 7."

After discussing finances, the board turned to district realignment. The state is now requiring that the number of residents in each board-member district be equalized to within 5 percent of each other. Currently, the smallest district (District 1) has 435 residents and is represented by Mark Rooker. The largest district (District 5) has 1,268 residents and is represented by Gary Andrews.

Mohn presented a couple of preliminary maps that would accomplish that mandate-but noted that if his suggestion was adopted, two of the sitting board members would be find themselves in the same district.

No action was taken at the meeting. Mohn encouraged board members to redraw their own maps to present for discussion.