Board votes to put levy on ballot

by CAROLINE LOBSINGER
Hagadone News Network | September 11, 2026 1:00 AM

BONNERS FERRY — The Boundary County School Board voted in mid-August to renew a $2.4 million supplemental levy, with the measure going before voters on the Nov. 3 ballot.

If approved by voters, the measure would replace the district’s existing supplemental levy, approved in May 2025, which is a two‑year, $2.4 million maintenance and operations levy that makes up about 12-15% of the district’s general fund.

The unanimous vote followed a special board workshop Aug. 17 to discuss the proposed levy.

How to approach a potential maintenance and operations levy, often called a supplemental levy, was also a focus of the BCSD board meeting July 20. Political subdivisions such as the school district must submit any proposed bonds, levies and referendums to county clerks by Aug. 28 in order to be included on the Nov. 3 general election.

"Basically, if we don't run a levy and we keep where we're at, by the end of the first fiscal year, we'd be down to a million dollars in reserve funds," BDSD Superintendent Jan Bayer said at the July 20 school board meeting.

That amount would cover less than a month at current spending and program levels, Bayer told the board.

A breakdown of where levy funds would be spent was not discussed at the board meeting but Bayer said previously that the ballot language would detail where the money would go.

Previously, school board trustees discussed including athletics and extracurricular activities on the MO levy.

"We can, with 100% certainty, run reports and show you this is what we spent the money on and if we don't get that money, those items are gone," Bayer told trustees.

While the district is on target to hit its financial goals, Bayer told the board there isn't "much room to wiggle."

While Bayer told the board she recommended the district maintain its current supplemental levy amount, she said she wanted the district to research all options. As part of that, the superintendent said information needs to include all options, from not having a levy to existing levy levels.