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Weimar ISD expands school zone hours
Columbus and Weimar Independent School Districts discussed changes and updates for the start of the school year during their board meetings, Monday, Aug. 11.
Columbus ISD
Columbus ISD will hold a public hearing on its proposed budget and tax rate on Monday, Aug. 25, at 6 p.m. in the Columbus ISD Board Room.
The total proposed tax rate for the 2025-2026 fiscal year is $0.763057 per $100, the highest rate required before requiring voter approval through an election. The total tax rate includes the maintenance and operations tax rate of $0.6567 (4.7% increase from 2024-2025) and the school debt service tax rate of $0.106357 (0.26% decrease).
The increases will generate $8,806 in local revenue per student (2.3% increase).
The 2025-2026 proposed budget totals expenditures at $22,870,683 (5.3% increase from 2024-2025). The budget calculated the per pupil expenditure at $13,785.82 (an identical percentage increase). None of the listed functions had a significant increase or decrease over the others for the 2025-2026 budget. Superintendent Jim Connor said that the recent legislative session changed the amount of money people can claim on homestead, resulting in an estimated decrease in taxes, and what businesses will pay. Connor said that the state promised to make up the difference to the school districts.
“What [families] could expect is that they will pay lower taxes,” Connor said. “…The proposed tax rate is lower than the previous year’s tax rate… Not only are they getting more credit for being a homeowner, [but] their tax rate has actually gone down again [for] like the second or third year that I’ve been here. And, we’re building new buildings.”
Connor clarified that the changes will only be confirmed once the proposed budget and tax rate are approved. He said that he doesn’t expect any opposition to either item as they have passed without issue in previous years.
Weimar ISD
Weimar Police Department and Colorado County Sheriff’s Department will now enforce the school zone on Hwy 90 from 7:15 a.m. to 4 p.m. The school zone previously operated from 7:15–8 a.m. and 3:15–4 p.m. The decision, made by the school’s safety and security committee, follows the recommendation of Superintendent Chase Seelke.
“We have lots of kids crossing that road throughout the day,” Seelke said. “Especially people coming from the west on 90, they’re going 50 miles an hour when they come over that hill.”
During its board meeting on Monday, Aug. 11, Weimar Independent School District approved policies updates and certified compliance with changes approved in July’s meeting due to state laws. Connor said that August’s meeting did not have any action items of note.
