MONROE - The Brodhead school board, facing a projected $280,000 deficit in its 2009-2010 budget, cut about $177,000 from its budget Wednesday.
That leaves Superintendent Chuck Deery and general manager Steve Swanson with the work of figuring out how much of the remaining deficit can be offset with money from the fund balance and from a retirement benefits fund.
The best case scenario is $280,000, Deery told the board. "You don't spend fund balances for on-going expenses. You use that for emergencies and for one-time expense."
Swanson said the district has only about one year of a "cushion" in Fund 73, if the board reduces its contributions to the fund. Fund 73 projections show an increase in the number of retirees and in health care costs, pushing payout from $288,000 this year to $400,000 in the next two years.
The district is now budgeting about $320,000 per year, but an actuarial long-term projection suggested a contribution of about $621,000, he said.
After making cuts for 2010-11, board members will take a break and come back in April to address the projected $650,000 and $950,000 deficits for 2011-12 and 2012-13 budgets.
"Some of the cuts made tonight will go forward and offset those future deficits," Deery said.
The board passed 2010-11 budget cuts under three separate motions.
Items passed under the first motion, eliminating about $57,600, include limiting travel, eliminating an assistant wrestling coach, not heating the greenhouse, not replacing a middle school aide when the position is vacated, and increasing sports fees $5 for students - all agreed upon at a January meeting.
The board also added to the first motion eliminating school board members pay ($8,600) and teacher appreciation gifts ($1,500), as well as $9,000 divided among the three school buildings' budgets.
The building budgets were reduced instead of eliminating field trips.
The board rejected a recommendation to require staff to switch to direct deposit, with an expected $700 savings a year, after learning the switchover would cost more than $6,000 initially, and would take about 10 years to reach a payback. Swanson said the switch would also save about $2,500 in paper and staff time to stuff envelopes.
The elimination of a elementary library director, made under a separate motion by Teresa Earleywine, nearly died for lack of a second. Mike Krupke seconded the motion which passed 7-0. The passage added about $35,000 to the total cuts.
The third motion, again by Earleywine, seconded by Carol Kloepping, was to eliminate the middle school Family and Consumer Education (FACE) program, was voted down unanimously.
After discussion with administration about decreased enrollment, it was determined that the program could possibly be modified by combining with a high school class, and eliminating one full-time middle school teacher.
Again motioned by Earleywine and seconded by Kloepping, the motion passed 6-1, with board president Peggy Olsen voting against.
The passing added about $84,300 savings, minus whatever modification costs for the class remained.
That leaves Superintendent Chuck Deery and general manager Steve Swanson with the work of figuring out how much of the remaining deficit can be offset with money from the fund balance and from a retirement benefits fund.
The best case scenario is $280,000, Deery told the board. "You don't spend fund balances for on-going expenses. You use that for emergencies and for one-time expense."
Swanson said the district has only about one year of a "cushion" in Fund 73, if the board reduces its contributions to the fund. Fund 73 projections show an increase in the number of retirees and in health care costs, pushing payout from $288,000 this year to $400,000 in the next two years.
The district is now budgeting about $320,000 per year, but an actuarial long-term projection suggested a contribution of about $621,000, he said.
After making cuts for 2010-11, board members will take a break and come back in April to address the projected $650,000 and $950,000 deficits for 2011-12 and 2012-13 budgets.
"Some of the cuts made tonight will go forward and offset those future deficits," Deery said.
The board passed 2010-11 budget cuts under three separate motions.
Items passed under the first motion, eliminating about $57,600, include limiting travel, eliminating an assistant wrestling coach, not heating the greenhouse, not replacing a middle school aide when the position is vacated, and increasing sports fees $5 for students - all agreed upon at a January meeting.
The board also added to the first motion eliminating school board members pay ($8,600) and teacher appreciation gifts ($1,500), as well as $9,000 divided among the three school buildings' budgets.
The building budgets were reduced instead of eliminating field trips.
The board rejected a recommendation to require staff to switch to direct deposit, with an expected $700 savings a year, after learning the switchover would cost more than $6,000 initially, and would take about 10 years to reach a payback. Swanson said the switch would also save about $2,500 in paper and staff time to stuff envelopes.
The elimination of a elementary library director, made under a separate motion by Teresa Earleywine, nearly died for lack of a second. Mike Krupke seconded the motion which passed 7-0. The passage added about $35,000 to the total cuts.
The third motion, again by Earleywine, seconded by Carol Kloepping, was to eliminate the middle school Family and Consumer Education (FACE) program, was voted down unanimously.
After discussion with administration about decreased enrollment, it was determined that the program could possibly be modified by combining with a high school class, and eliminating one full-time middle school teacher.
Again motioned by Earleywine and seconded by Kloepping, the motion passed 6-1, with board president Peggy Olsen voting against.
The passing added about $84,300 savings, minus whatever modification costs for the class remained.