Dan Johnson

A new Webster City High School principal was introduced Monday night during the Northeast Hamilton and Webster City Community Schools interim board meeting.

Dan Johnson will step into the principal’s job when the next school year starts. He replaces Brent Jorth who has accepted the position of superintendent at Central Lyon School District.

A total of 17 completed applications were received for the position, which Superintendent Dr. Mandy Ross said was a solid response for an Iowa principal position. Five of those candidates were interviewed during the last week of March.

“Dan comes to us by way of Des Moines Public Schools where he served as a social studies teacher and a school improvement leader,” said Ross. “He’s had experience at both the high school and middle school levels. One of the things that staff and students alike would tell you about him is his approachability.

“The staff and myself are also celebrating his experience with multi-tiered systems of support,” she said.

Johnson said he was eager to begin the position.

“I’m excited to be getting into the process and getting ready to go,” he said.

Information about Johnson’s salary and benefits were not available at the meeting.

In another hiring, a familiar face will be returning to Webster City High School. Bob Howard was hired as the high school football head coach with the board approving his contract Monday night.

A public hearing on the 2019-2020 school budget was held.

At a recent interim board meeting, Board Secretary Cathi Hildebrand said a proposed budget was compiled keeping the surtax rate at 4 percent, the same rate as last year for both districts.

For 2020, a tax rate of $12.42 per thousand for Webster City and $11.87 for Northeast Hamilton was proposed. That keeps the surtax rate at 4 percent for both schools.

For Webster City, that’s a decrease from $14.82 per thousand in valuation.

“That covers all of our needs for next year,” Hildebrand said.

Board members Eric Patterson, Linda Williams and Rich Stroner voted in favor of the budget adoption. Board President Beth Van Diest was absent Monday night.

Also approved was an AEA purchasing agreement for the 2019-2020 school year.

The next interim meeting will be held May 13.