(KLZA)-- A vacancy has been filled on the Pawnee City School Board.

Following an executive session last week, the board voted 3-2 to appoint Corey Hatfield to fill the vacancy.

Voting in favor of appointing Hatfield was Bobbi Haarhues, Hope Koester and J.W. Vlcek. Casting no votes were Mary Moser and Jason Vetrovsky.

The vacancy came open follow the resignation of Lisa Hunszeker last month.

There were seven applicants for the open position.

In other business, the board conducted a public hearing on the proposed 2024-25 school budget.

The budget documents propose a property tax request is $3,254,005, which would require a levy of 82.97 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. With the Special Building Fund requirement of $60,000 the total levy would come to $84.5 cents, representing a decrease of 6.9 cents. Last year the levy was 91.4 cents.

The proposed total budget for the next fiscal year is $8.4 million.

The Pawnee City School District valuation has increased by 7.95% to $396 million.

It was noted that State Aid to the district will decrease by $158,636 for the new fiscal year to $968,190.

The Pawnee City School Board will meet at 6 p.m. Monday evening ( Sept. 9 ) to conduct a final hearing on the property tax request.

The date for the tax request hearing was updated due to the inability to have a quorum present on the date originally scheduled for the budget hearing and summary.