Board of Education cuts $133,729 after referendum defeat
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Thursday, May 13, 2010 - 12:52pm
Hoping it will be enough to pass the 2010-11 proposed education budget at the next referendum, the District 13 Board of Education (BOE) voted to cut $133,729 from their original proposal. This leaves a gross budget of $34.7 million, or a 2.77 percent increase over the current year.
Roughly $93,721 of the cut came from a list that Superintendent Susan Viccaro and business manager Ron Melnik came up with before the May 12 board meeting. It included eliminating about $14,000 from electric costs due to installing solar panels at Lyman and Memorial schools, $51,000 from ACES tuition because of lower enrollment numbers over the years and about $38,000 for switching to a new student information system.
While scrutinizing line items, the board turned to the capital plan where they were comfortable eliminating $15,000 for cafeteria equipment.
After much angst, the board made a final cut of $25,000 from the salary line item, but left it so Melnik and Viccaro would ask administrators if they could once more find other areas to cut $25,000 without having to touch salaries.
Prior to the budget discussion, the board listened to a long public comment session. The biggest concerns expressed were the “ abysmal turnout” of voters at the first referendum, confusion over the district’s fund balance and making reductions without affecting students, staff and programs.
Some residents spoke in support of the budget, some against, and a handful of residents attended the BOE meeting for the first time, anxious to voice their opinions.
The board voted to hold a district meeting on May 24 where the public will have the chance to ask questions on the new proposal. The referendum to vote on the proposed net budget, which is $31.9 million, or a 2.1 percent increase, was set for May 25.
