Albany School Board
There are five candidates for three seats on the Albany school board. Incumbents Edward Maksym and Fred Johnson are joined by Barb Briggs, Phil Kubesh and Steve Elliot on the ballot.
Position sought: Albany School District Board of Education
Age: 75
City/town of residence: Village of Albany
Family: Sister and brother-in-law in the Monroe area
Education: BS Business - Loyola University, Chicago
Occupation: Retired Manufacturing Management Consultant (35 years); Manufacturing Processes; Plant Layouts; Manufacturing Information Systems; New Plant Locations
Previous elected positions held: Albany School District Board of Education 2009 to present: Board Clerk, 2013-2015; Treasurer, 2015-2016. Committee Assignments: Albany Community Center, 2009-2012, 2015-2016; Building and Grounds - Chairman, 2009-2016; Compensation, 2010-2016; Finance, 2013-2015; Finance - Chairman, 2015- 2016; Strategic Planning, 2009- 2016; Technology, 2009-2013; Village Representative, 2009-2016
What are the top issues facing this district/municipality and how would you work to resolve it?
The top issue facing the Albany School District (ASD), as it is with every Wisconsin School District especially rural districts, is the continuous reduction in state aid from Wisconsin government (Governor, Senate, and Assembly). ASD has experienced a reduction in state aid of over $1,000,000 since 2009. The original intent of the current aid system when it was implemented in 1996 was to stabilize real estate taxes by providing more state aid. The ASD taxpayer's share of school funding has risen from 36 percent to 42 percent since Act 10 was implemented.
The ASD Board of Education and the Administration have managed to maintain expenses at an annual average increase of 1.1 percent. We have been able to maintain this low expense increase through reduced energy costs from the efficiency of the recent heating system, using technology to reduce textbook expense, improved cost controls on maintenance supplies, using the facility project savings to pay down interest debt on loans, and staff reductions.
If re-elected, I would work to improve our focus on school funding reform with our legislators. We need to continue to maintain tight control over expenses without degrading our vision for our students by enabling our teaching and support staff, and maintaining our facility at an effective level.
What are other key issues facing the district/municipality, and how would you work to resolve them?
Hiring a new district administrator - Working with fellow Board Members to determine the qualifications for a new administrator, identifying candidates that meet those qualifications, interviewing the candidates, and reaching a joint decision on the candidate that best meets the needs of the Albany School District. This is a critical task because it impacts the district now and well into the future,
Reversing the trend of outbound open enrollment - There are approximately 90 students in the ASD that open enroll out to other school districts. They are counted as part of our student population in the calculation for revenue limits and student aid but then we need to pay the receiving district over $6,000 per student. Most of these students never step foot in our school to meet our excellent staff, see our great facility, and observe our many extra-curricular programs.
Expand our usage of our technology - We have and use some of the most up to date technology for sharing our resources with Juda and Monticello in order to provide our students an opportunity for advanced classes and to earn college credits. These programs need to be expanded in order to better utilize our limited financial and educational resources.
Why are you the best candidate for this office?
Because I am retired and do not have dependent family members in the area, I am able to devote significant time (some say too much) to being an active school board member. This has enabled me to attend conferences on school board governance and policy, rural school needs, legal and financial issues, and technical education opportunities. The conferences on school finance have given me a better understanding of the state accounting system, the revenue and expense account structure, and the budget forecasting model the school uses.
Since becoming Treasurer in May 2015 and working with our newest bookkeeper, we have developed five new monthly reports on year to date budget performance and expenditures for the Board of Education. These reports have given the board members improved visibility and timelier information on budget status by school fund and accounts (salaries, transportation, extra-curricular activities, and maintenance expenses). The new monthly check reports show the board members how much we are spending, what we are spending your money on, and who/where we are spending your money.
My 35 years of management consulting experience has enabled me to be an effective Board Member since 2009. I have the time, interest, and experience to continue to be an effective Board Member if I am re-elected.
Age: 75
City/town of residence: Village of Albany
Family: Sister and brother-in-law in the Monroe area
Education: BS Business - Loyola University, Chicago
Occupation: Retired Manufacturing Management Consultant (35 years); Manufacturing Processes; Plant Layouts; Manufacturing Information Systems; New Plant Locations
Previous elected positions held: Albany School District Board of Education 2009 to present: Board Clerk, 2013-2015; Treasurer, 2015-2016. Committee Assignments: Albany Community Center, 2009-2012, 2015-2016; Building and Grounds - Chairman, 2009-2016; Compensation, 2010-2016; Finance, 2013-2015; Finance - Chairman, 2015- 2016; Strategic Planning, 2009- 2016; Technology, 2009-2013; Village Representative, 2009-2016
What are the top issues facing this district/municipality and how would you work to resolve it?
The top issue facing the Albany School District (ASD), as it is with every Wisconsin School District especially rural districts, is the continuous reduction in state aid from Wisconsin government (Governor, Senate, and Assembly). ASD has experienced a reduction in state aid of over $1,000,000 since 2009. The original intent of the current aid system when it was implemented in 1996 was to stabilize real estate taxes by providing more state aid. The ASD taxpayer's share of school funding has risen from 36 percent to 42 percent since Act 10 was implemented.
The ASD Board of Education and the Administration have managed to maintain expenses at an annual average increase of 1.1 percent. We have been able to maintain this low expense increase through reduced energy costs from the efficiency of the recent heating system, using technology to reduce textbook expense, improved cost controls on maintenance supplies, using the facility project savings to pay down interest debt on loans, and staff reductions.
If re-elected, I would work to improve our focus on school funding reform with our legislators. We need to continue to maintain tight control over expenses without degrading our vision for our students by enabling our teaching and support staff, and maintaining our facility at an effective level.
What are other key issues facing the district/municipality, and how would you work to resolve them?
Hiring a new district administrator - Working with fellow Board Members to determine the qualifications for a new administrator, identifying candidates that meet those qualifications, interviewing the candidates, and reaching a joint decision on the candidate that best meets the needs of the Albany School District. This is a critical task because it impacts the district now and well into the future,
Reversing the trend of outbound open enrollment - There are approximately 90 students in the ASD that open enroll out to other school districts. They are counted as part of our student population in the calculation for revenue limits and student aid but then we need to pay the receiving district over $6,000 per student. Most of these students never step foot in our school to meet our excellent staff, see our great facility, and observe our many extra-curricular programs.
Expand our usage of our technology - We have and use some of the most up to date technology for sharing our resources with Juda and Monticello in order to provide our students an opportunity for advanced classes and to earn college credits. These programs need to be expanded in order to better utilize our limited financial and educational resources.
Why are you the best candidate for this office?
Because I am retired and do not have dependent family members in the area, I am able to devote significant time (some say too much) to being an active school board member. This has enabled me to attend conferences on school board governance and policy, rural school needs, legal and financial issues, and technical education opportunities. The conferences on school finance have given me a better understanding of the state accounting system, the revenue and expense account structure, and the budget forecasting model the school uses.
Since becoming Treasurer in May 2015 and working with our newest bookkeeper, we have developed five new monthly reports on year to date budget performance and expenditures for the Board of Education. These reports have given the board members improved visibility and timelier information on budget status by school fund and accounts (salaries, transportation, extra-curricular activities, and maintenance expenses). The new monthly check reports show the board members how much we are spending, what we are spending your money on, and who/where we are spending your money.
My 35 years of management consulting experience has enabled me to be an effective Board Member since 2009. I have the time, interest, and experience to continue to be an effective Board Member if I am re-elected.