Trustees discuss impact of budget shortfall
by Dolores Hamilton
With voters in the Iowa Park school district turning down a tax increase in the Nov. 4 elections, school board members spent a large part of their meeting Thursday discussing the impact of operating local schools this year with a $450,000 budget deficit, and the possibility of the deficit being twice that amount next year.
Tax Assessor/Collector Jonathan Clubb told the trustees that he thought the defeat of a tax increase was the result of ‘tough timing.’ “I believe people are behind the schools,” he said. “But because of the current economic situation, they are scared.”
Superintendent Jerry Baird said that they need to get more information out to the people. “I don’t think they understand how the funding has changed,” he told the trustees.
Changes were made to the state school finance system in 2006 by the Texas Legislature. The only way a school district board of trustees can raise additional revenue is to seek voter approval with a tax ratification election, like the one held Nov. 4.
Meanwhile, schools are held to 2005 - 06 funding levels with no adjustment for inflation.
Prior to 2006, a school district could keep the tax rate the same as the previous year but generate more revenue based on the amount of increase in local property values. Now, as local values increase each year, the state decreases state revenue holding schools to the same funding level from 2005 - 06.
“The last thing we want to do is say the sky is falling,” Baird commented. “The price of fuel is going down and that will help lower the deficit.” “I think we’re going to be fine this year,” he added.
Merle Rodgers, chairman of the committee studying facility needs in the school district, was asked if they wanted to continue with the study that has pinpointed several areas that would require a bond election to finance the improvements.
“The needs of our facilities are not going to go away,” Rodgers told the board members. “In the big picture (without the improvements) our school district is going to dwindle.”
Following are the possible budget reductions discussed by the school board for 2008 - 2009 and 2009 - 2010 school years:
2008 - 2009 Budget Reduction Considerations
1. Conserve travel
2. Reduce staff absence and substitute utilization
3. Increase awareness and monitoring of utility usage
4. Delay capitol purchases: bus, pickup, maintenance equipment
5. Make every attempt to conserve and protect instructional programs
2009 - 2010 Budget Reduction Considerations
1. Reduce trips and distance of trips in all extracurricular activities
2. Reduce travel related to staff development
3. Cancel capitol purchases and equipment replacement schedules
4. Reduce technology outlay and infrastructure enhancements
5. Hiring freeze, re-evaluate staffing and reduce staffing through attrition if possible. Otherwise reduction in force as last resort, including but not limited to maintenance, custodial and food service
6. Forego employee pay raises and eliminate overtime
7. Re-evaluate concurrent programs and focus on 4x4 requirements
8. Evaluate student busing and reduce routes to outside of 2 mile limit
9. Cancel facilities improvement planning
In other business, the board approved the reappraisal of 61 properties in the school district that were damaged in the August flooding. The Wichita County Commissioners Court had requested taxing entities with properties affected by the Aug. 18-19 flooding to consider a reappraisal. The properties will be appraised at their market value immediately after the flooding.
Board President Jeff Watts was nominated by the trustees as Iowa Park CISD’s representative to the Wichita Appraisal District Board of Directors. He will serve a two-year term.
The first reading of TASB Board Policy Update 84 and a Student Wellness policy was approved.
Following an executive session to discuss personnel, the board voted to employ Heather Brown as a middle school special education aide, and Clifton McFadden as a P.E. aide at Bradford Elementary.