By Cristina Janney

Hays Post

The Hays school board voted Monday night to reduce workbook/material fees for all students for the upcoming school year by $45.

The fee will drop from $135 to $90.

The drop in fees will cost the district about $90,000, but this will be offset by an increase in state aid.

The new base state aid per pupil will be raised to $4,006 for the 2017-2018 school year, which is estimated to bring an additional $1.9 million to the district this year.

Board member Luke Oborny said, “This has been a goal, and this has been one of the things that we have worked toward, and I am happy to vote for this.”

Board president Lance Bickle also said he supported the reduction in fees and looked forward to chipping away further at the fees in the future.

In other business, the board:

• Approved the milk bid from Hiland Dairy for the 2017-2018 school year

• Approved a copier paper bid from Contract Paper Group for $21,627.60.

• Approved a Title VI-B budget for special education

• Approved special meetings for 7 a.m. Aug. 10 for the annual budget hearing and 5:30 p.m. Aug. 24 for the budget approval.