"Ugly" was how School Board President Kris Lytton called the proposed $26 million school budget for the coming year. Fellow Board member Mitch Everton commented on how tight the budget is, particularly if the state makes further cuts in education spending this year. "Any new shortfall will need to be made up from cash reserves."
Lytton said "Unfortunately our state is in this situation," telling Board members there are rumors the state legislature may need to hold a special session to make new spending cuts in the light of lower revenue projections.
School District Finance Director Lisa Matthews presented a budget that spends 7% less than the current year with 6% less revenue. Her budget proposal calls for 15 fewer teaching (certified) positions and 14 fewer (classified) staff positions. She said they are holding 4 positions open now, waiting to see just how many students will enter classes next month.
The school administration's budget proposal calls for some higher student fees. ASB cards will remain at $40, but the cost of participating in athletics activities will go up, as high as $75 for a student to participate in one sport in the athletics program, dropped to $20 for students in the free/reduced school lunch program. Those cost increases go mostly to pay for transportation to out-of-town events.
As for actual expenses, the budget proposal shows reductions in spending of 9% for (certified) teaching positions, 12% for (classified) staff positions and 11% for administrative positions.
Everton told the Board that the district needs to make some strategic decisions on paying for the schools, such as making better use of the schools after hours and in the summer to generate new income. Or, he suggested, look at outsourcing bus transportation or lunches to save money.
The Board set a public hearing for Aug. 20 at 6:15pm. They will consider the budget proposal at that meeting after the puiblic hearing.