Kathy Dzewaltowski, observer
Special meeting:
The board held a special meeting to discuss budget reductions and revenue enhancements. The meeting began with information from Bruce Stiles, Director of Business Services, that explained the impact on the district of the 1% sales tax increase approved by the Legislature. The district had been looking at making cuts totaling $1.5 million at the minimum and possibly more than $3 million at the maximum. The sales tax will lower the amount the district will need to cut to $1,028,000. Board members were in agreement, though, that they needed to continue discussing budget reductions to be prepared for the next few years should state funding not increase.
The board was presented with information on revenue enhancements, including "pay to play" for athletics and activities, "pay to stay" for all-day kindergarten, increasing fees for preschool, increasing fees for using district facilities, selling advertisement space in school newsletters, and raising the Local Option Budget (LOB). Some board members expressed an interest in raising the LOB at the same time that they would lower the capital outlay mill levy in an effort to keep the overall tax burden steady, and others were hesitant to raise the LOB because they wanted to leave that option open for the future if state funding doesn't increase.
The board reviewed and discussed items on the budget reduction list, including eliminating a high school assistant principal, eliminating the Professional Learning Time coordinator, and reducing a media position. Dr. Bob Shannon, Superintendent, also presented the board with his prioritized list of reductions, and board members planned to discuss their own prioritized list at the next special budget meeting.
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