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Town Hall · Girard

How Girard is run

Girard spent $805,000 in the year to December 31, 2022, about $1,100 per resident. (A Census Bureau estimate.)

Town budget
$805,000
spent, year to December 31, 2022
Per resident
$1,100
Above typical Minnesota towns ($269)
Long-term debt
None
at year end
Town staff
1
full-time
Typical tax bill
$3,320
a year · MN $3,357

What stands out about how Girard is run

Read from the town’s budget, meetings and records. The page puts what stands out first.

★ What stands out · Your share of the budget

About $1,100 per resident a year, or $3.01 a day

The biggest line: fire, at 59% of spending.

Where the money comes from
Property taxes 87%From the state 9%Fees & charges 1%From other local governments 1%Interest, fines & other 1%Other taxes & licenses <1%
An estimate

Girard didn’t report all of its 2022 figures to the Census Bureau, so most of these numbers are the Bureau’s estimates.

The school district

Henning Public School District

Girard’s K–12 school district, shared with Henning, Henning, Vining, Folden, Inman and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.

Schools in Girard →
$14,397
per pupil · MN $17,091
383
students
None
long-term debt

Of the $14,397 per pupil, $9,426 goes to the classroom (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren’t in the per-pupil figure.

The district: schools, scores and graduation →

Where the district’s money comes from
Local 25%State 61%Federal 14%

Minnesota districts overall: 30% local, 62% state, 8% federal.

Also serving Girard

Battle Lake Public School District · $15,169 per pupil

School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.

Who runs it

Who’s in charge in Girard

Local officials aren’t in the public records we use for Girard yet. Neighbors can add them.

Who works for Girard

One full-time town employee for every 732 residents

On the payroll in March 2022 (a Census Bureau estimate).

By department full-time, plus part-time

Roads & transportation1
1
full-time
0
part-time
$57,800
average full-time pay, before benefits

Pay is March payroll times twelve, so it’s approximate. Part-timers count half in the bar lengths.

Property tax

The typical homeowner pays $3,320 a year

Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.75% of the home’s value, vs 1.02% across Minnesota.

What homes cost →

Typical yearly bill next door and statewide

Minnesota$3,357
Girard$3,320
Everts$3,250
Otter Tail$3,171
Nidaros$2,025
Henning$1,580
$3,320
typical bill a year
0.75%
effective rate
$445,000
typical home value (Census)
Your own bill

The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Girard’s rate.

Can I afford it? →

The median bill homeowners report to the Census survey (bills of $10,000+ are reported as “$10,000+”). The effective rate is that bill ÷ the median home value: a rough guide, not the official tax rate. In a town this small the estimate has a wide margin.

Next door

How Girard’s budget compares

Girard ranks 4th lowest of 5 for spending per resident. Towns that run their own schools spend more. Tap a town to see its Town Hall.

Spends the leastSpends the mostNo figures
TownSpent per residentDebt per residentTax bill
Otter Tail$370—$3,171
Henning$444—$1,580
Everts$698—$3,250
Girard$1,100—$3,320
Nidaros$2,516—$2,025

The town government’s own spending in its newest year (often a Census Bureau estimate). — = no figures.

Who represents Girard

From town hall to Washington

Every level of government that speaks for Girard.

Politics & elections →
  1. 1
    Your townTown government
    Local officials aren’t on record yet.
  2. 2
    Minnesota HouseState representatives
  3. 3
    Minnesota SenateState senator
  4. 4
    GovernorStatewide
  5. 5
    U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
  6. 6
    U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Minnesota

Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.

Reach Girard’s government

Numbers and hours come from neighbors and the town’s own site (the Handbook). A new one goes live once two neighbors confirm it.

The Handbook →

Questions about how Girard is run?

Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.

Town Square →
Weigh in
Does Girard get good value for its tax dollars?

Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.

Ask neighbors

Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll (for Girard, mostly the Bureau’s estimates). School district: Census school finance survey. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 5-year estimates. Representatives: Open States, the Census and congress-legislators.

Post to Girard

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Add to the handbook

Sign in to add to Girard’s handbook. Every fact you add earns karma once neighbors confirm it.