After hearing the latest budget proposal for School District 166 on Thursday, June 16, school board members expressed dismay that they were looking at a budget with proposed deficit spending.
The School District’s SMART Finance report shows a total of expenditures as $7,872,347 and total revenues as $7,625,389. However, some of the budget items are reserved funds that can only be spent in the categories for which they are received. Breaking out just the general fund, the budget shows total expenditures of $6,154,851 with $6,045,492 for revenue. That equals deficit spending of $109,359 in the general fund.
At the Thursday, June 16 meeting, School Board Member Deb White said, “Okay, so we agonized over all of these cuts…and obviously we were not clear enough that it’s not an open checkbook.”
Superintendent Beth Schwarz said the budget presented for adoption had more expenditures than originally presented to the board in part because of all the “small pieces.” Schwarz reminded the board about the things that were added back in during the process to reduce the budget. She said when the board was asked to reduce the technology budget, board members said that should not be cut. Likewise the school board wanted to cut one special education teacher and district staff protested.
One of the largest changes was the hiring of several faculty members with greater educational credentials, such as the industrial tech instructor who comes to the district with 22 years of experience. An anticipated reduction in staffing of $53,000 became an increase of $114,000 because of new staff being hired.
She said the operating budget was higher than anticipated because of “compromises.” She said, “We’ve been adding back and adding back and this is the result of that,” said Schwarz.
Schwarz also cautioned that the revenue side of the budget could end up being different than presented in the draft budget. She said the $383,000 in anticipated revenue includes the $18,000 that the Arrowhead Center for the Arts is being asked to raise, as well as $20,000 from the athletic department.
Reached after the school board meeting, Finance Specialist Lori Backlund reiterated that the final budget may be different. She said the budget will be updated when staffing is finalized this summer.
Schwarz noted that the school board was considering a levy and bond referendum to help fund school operations. “If the operating levy and bond passes, you’ll be able to breathe a sigh of relief,” said Schwarz.
If not, she said the school board would really have to hold the line next spring.
Levy committee formed
Following up on discussion at the last school board meeting, the school board passed a resolution to officially pursue a referendum on an operating levy increase and the issuance of a general operating bond. The resolution passed unanimously with Board Member Jeanne Anderson absent.
The board heard a report from the newly formed levy committee. Becky Bartol said there was an “exciting” first meeting. She said members are people who were involved in the levy referendum process last year; some from when the last levy passed in 2010 and some brand new people. All of them, said Bartol, “just really care about the school.”
She said so far the committee has been focused on listening, asking, “Why did the previous levy not pass?”
One thing committee members have been hearing is that people didn’t understand why the increase was necessary and what the money was going to be used for. Bartol asked for the school district’s help in putting together specific information on what the levy would be used for and what the bond would be used for. Board Members Terry Collins and Sissy Lunde agreed to work to put that information together. The next meeting of the levy referendum committee will be 5 p.m. on June 29 at the high school library.
In other business
. The school board approved a continued service contract with Johnson Controls for boilers and air exchangers.
. Potential signage reminding students and campus visitors of the school no weapons policy was discussed. The matter was tabled until the next meeting because more than signage may need to be changed. Policies may need to also be updated.
. The board approved agreements with Teamster Union 346.
. The board accepted the resignation of school bus driver Bill Hackett with sincere appreciation for his 13 years of service.
. In one of her final duties as superintendent, Beth Schwarz named the many volunteers who had helped at School District 166 through the year and gave her heartfelt thanks. A lovely cake and refreshments were enjoyed.
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