FAIRMONT — The Fairmont School Board on Tuesday approved a 2020 property tax levy that will decrease 2.93 percent.

The proposed levy is $5.5 million, a reduction of $167,000 from 2019.

Superintendent Joe Brown explained that Minnesota cities and counties can decide to levy property taxes as much as they want, but school districts do not have that authority and have to follow a formula, which is driven by how many students the district serves.

“It’s a fascinating formula, very complex,” Brown noted.

He explained that a year from now, enrollment is supposed to go down. There are currently 144 students in the senior class, but only 119 in the junior class.

“That junior class, which is the class that was born after 9/11, throughout the country, that’s a small group of kids. A lot of folks held off having children for a year,” Brown explained.

The expected decrease in enrollment for the next school year is what affects the amount of property taxes for the district.

In other news, Brown reminded the board that the Minnesota Supreme Court will be at Fairmont High School on Oct. 9 to hold its 50th traveling oral argument. Fairmont High School has been selected as the site this year.

“They’ll be hearing an oral argument case. We have invited other local schools as well,” Brown said.

On the Tuesday night prior, a community dinner with Supreme Court members will take place at Green Mill in Fairmont. Anyone who wishes to attend may purchase tickets through Fairmont Community Education and Recreation at (507) 235-3141.

Turning to other matters, the board learned that the Fairmont school district will provide Arise Academy with project management services, as per the agreement with Southern Plains Education Cooperative. Tyler Garrison, the director of buildings and ground for Fairmont Area Schools, will provide those services. The board approved a $12,000 stipend to be added to Garrison’s contract.

In other news, the board approved the hire of Amanda Lopez as a community outreach support person to assist community outreach coordinator Jessica Martinez. Lopez will work with the high school EL teacher and serve as an interpreter at the high school.

The board accepted the following donations:

o School supplies, valued at $600, from Fairmont Hy-Vee for the elementary school.

o American flag, valued at $50, from the American Legion for the elementary school.

o School supplies, valued at $750, from First Farmers & Merchants Bank for both the elementary and high school.

o Pork certificates, valued at $200, from Martin County Pork Producers, for the elementary school.

o School supplies, valued at $300, from Avery Weigh-Tronix, for the high school.

o School supplies, valued at $250, from Peterson Anthony Insurance, for the high school.

o A back-to-school picnic, valued at $750, from Profinium Financial, for the Fairmont district staff and families.