Financial review shows hurdles ahead for Harlan Community

HARLAN – Harlan Community Schools’ past decisions to keep its tax levy unchanged for numerous years is leading to some tough discussions moving forward on how best to keep the district financially stable in the wake of declining enrollment and increasing special education costs.
    The HCS Board of Education held a financial workshop recently with Travis Squires, managing director with Piper Sandler, Des Moines.  The firm provides public finance advisory services to state and local governments, and Squires introduced a five-year financial projection for discussion at the board table.