BRODHEAD - The Brodhead School District will eliminate five teachers, one guidance counselor and a bus route if the district's referendum fails April 6, according to district officials at a meeting Monday.
The school board discussed the referendum, and the implications if it fails, at the meeting, which was attended by about 30 residents.
"This isn't easy," board president Peggy Olsen said at one point in the meeting. "This is very, very frustrating."
The board originally planned to eliminate eight teaching positions from the district budget if the referendum failed. However, after much discussion, the board decided to cut five teacher positions next year.
"We don't have to make all of the cuts in one year," board member Mike Krupke said.
The board also decided to allow school principals to make recommendations to the board as to which teachers will be eliminated.
Brodhead Educational Association negotiator Cathy Matteson told the board again that teachers in the district are willing to re-open negotiations for the 2010-11 school year with hopes of saving the district about $70,000.
The board decided to take extra-curricular activities off the list of programs to be cut after a public meeting Thursday.
Although no final decision was made about them at Thursday's meeting, board member Teresa Earleywine said people came away from the meeting with the belief there would be no cuts in those areas.
"The public perception is that extra-curricular activities are being saved," she said.
Athletic director Jim Matthys said parents and students need to know if extra-curricular programs would be available next year.
"In fairness to parents you need to let parents and students know what will be around next year," he said.
Although the programs were removed from the list of cuts for next year, there is no guarantee the programs wouldn't be cut the following year.
The board also agreed to hold a public meeting at 6:30 p.m. March 15 at the high school to inform people about the April 6 referendum.
District residents will be asked to allow the district to exceed the state-mandated revenue caps by $393,000 in 2010-11; $567,000 in 2011-12; and $797,100 in 2012-13.
At a special meeting Friday, the board approved placing the three-year referendum on the April ballot.
The tax rate for 2010-11 would be $8.27 per $1,000 of equalized property value, which is lower than this year's rate of $8.45.
In the second year of the referendum, taxpayers will pay $9.52 per $1,000 of equalized property value. A homeowner with a home valued at $100,000 will pay $952 in taxes. The owner of a farm valued at $250,000 will pay $2,380.
In the third year, the tax rate will increase to $10.16. A homeowner with a home valued at $100,000 will pay $1,016 in taxes. The owner of a farm valued at $250,000 will pay $2,540.
The original referendum, which was for four years, asked residents to increase revenue limits by $635,000 in the 2010-11 school year; $810,000 in the 2011-12 school year; $855,000 in the 2012-13 school year; and $1,285,000 in the 2013-14 school year.
That referendum failed 1,027 to 833, Feb. 16.
The school board discussed the referendum, and the implications if it fails, at the meeting, which was attended by about 30 residents.
"This isn't easy," board president Peggy Olsen said at one point in the meeting. "This is very, very frustrating."
The board originally planned to eliminate eight teaching positions from the district budget if the referendum failed. However, after much discussion, the board decided to cut five teacher positions next year.
"We don't have to make all of the cuts in one year," board member Mike Krupke said.
The board also decided to allow school principals to make recommendations to the board as to which teachers will be eliminated.
Brodhead Educational Association negotiator Cathy Matteson told the board again that teachers in the district are willing to re-open negotiations for the 2010-11 school year with hopes of saving the district about $70,000.
The board decided to take extra-curricular activities off the list of programs to be cut after a public meeting Thursday.
Although no final decision was made about them at Thursday's meeting, board member Teresa Earleywine said people came away from the meeting with the belief there would be no cuts in those areas.
"The public perception is that extra-curricular activities are being saved," she said.
Athletic director Jim Matthys said parents and students need to know if extra-curricular programs would be available next year.
"In fairness to parents you need to let parents and students know what will be around next year," he said.
Although the programs were removed from the list of cuts for next year, there is no guarantee the programs wouldn't be cut the following year.
The board also agreed to hold a public meeting at 6:30 p.m. March 15 at the high school to inform people about the April 6 referendum.
District residents will be asked to allow the district to exceed the state-mandated revenue caps by $393,000 in 2010-11; $567,000 in 2011-12; and $797,100 in 2012-13.
At a special meeting Friday, the board approved placing the three-year referendum on the April ballot.
The tax rate for 2010-11 would be $8.27 per $1,000 of equalized property value, which is lower than this year's rate of $8.45.
In the second year of the referendum, taxpayers will pay $9.52 per $1,000 of equalized property value. A homeowner with a home valued at $100,000 will pay $952 in taxes. The owner of a farm valued at $250,000 will pay $2,380.
In the third year, the tax rate will increase to $10.16. A homeowner with a home valued at $100,000 will pay $1,016 in taxes. The owner of a farm valued at $250,000 will pay $2,540.
The original referendum, which was for four years, asked residents to increase revenue limits by $635,000 in the 2010-11 school year; $810,000 in the 2011-12 school year; $855,000 in the 2012-13 school year; and $1,285,000 in the 2013-14 school year.
That referendum failed 1,027 to 833, Feb. 16.