SOUTH WAYNE - Residents learned Monday there are no easy answers when it comes to Black Hawk school district's financial matters.
About 50 people met at the school in South Wayne to discuss the district's finances and try to give the board direction how to proceed in light of the failed April 6 referendum question.
The board plans to continue discussing district finances over the next few weeks to come up with a plan to either make cuts or bring another referendum to voters.
Residents voted almost two-to-one April 6 against a recurring referendum, which would have allowed the district to exceed state-mandated property tax revenue caps by $700,000 next year and $800,000 for the following years. The money would have been used for operational expenses.
The board didn't come to the meeting prepared to ask for another referendum or make suggestions as to how to cut money from the district budget Superintendent Charles McNulty said.
"We're looking for proposals and suggestions. We want to hear from you," he said. "There are no easy answers to any of this."
The district can use some of its $1.1 million fund balance to cover the expected $800,000 budget deficit next year, McNulty said.
Monday's meeting was to discuss what to do in the following years.
Residents told board members they were concerned about paying more taxes at a time when local economies are suffering.
"People are concerned about higher taxes," district resident Gary Luhman said.
Residents at the meeting didn't like the idea of making too many cuts in programs, either. Some said that if the district cut too many programs they would take their children to another district.
McNulty said cuts in programs would have a negative impact on students who attend the district. However, he said the only way to solve the district's financial problems are to increase revenues or cut expenditures.
Chuck Herbst, Gratiot, said there is fat that needs to be trimmed from the budget, including some classes. Herbst doesn't want to see the district's agriculture programs eliminated, but he asked the board to look at some of the classes to see if they were needed.
"There has to be a happy medium," he said. "I think there's still fat that can be trimmed. We're taxing ourselves right out of our homes."
Herbst said teachers need to agree to cuts in their benefits to help the district save money.
"I have a lot of respect for teachers, but they have to give a little," he said.
There were suggestions the district cut advanced placement classes unless more students were signed up for them.
Some people asked if the middle school should be closed to save money. McNulty said the district could save about $250,000 if it closed the middle school.
Herbst said the middle school is important to Gratiot and gives the community an identity.
"When something is going on at the school everybody in town is there," he said.
The board will have to make the difficult decision to make cuts or go to another referendum, McNulty said.
"This isn't going to be easy, but it isn't easy to pay more taxes, either," he said.
Residents told the board that if it decided to hold another referendum it should be a non-recurring referendum, which has an end date.
About 50 people met at the school in South Wayne to discuss the district's finances and try to give the board direction how to proceed in light of the failed April 6 referendum question.
The board plans to continue discussing district finances over the next few weeks to come up with a plan to either make cuts or bring another referendum to voters.
Residents voted almost two-to-one April 6 against a recurring referendum, which would have allowed the district to exceed state-mandated property tax revenue caps by $700,000 next year and $800,000 for the following years. The money would have been used for operational expenses.
The board didn't come to the meeting prepared to ask for another referendum or make suggestions as to how to cut money from the district budget Superintendent Charles McNulty said.
"We're looking for proposals and suggestions. We want to hear from you," he said. "There are no easy answers to any of this."
The district can use some of its $1.1 million fund balance to cover the expected $800,000 budget deficit next year, McNulty said.
Monday's meeting was to discuss what to do in the following years.
Residents told board members they were concerned about paying more taxes at a time when local economies are suffering.
"People are concerned about higher taxes," district resident Gary Luhman said.
Residents at the meeting didn't like the idea of making too many cuts in programs, either. Some said that if the district cut too many programs they would take their children to another district.
McNulty said cuts in programs would have a negative impact on students who attend the district. However, he said the only way to solve the district's financial problems are to increase revenues or cut expenditures.
Chuck Herbst, Gratiot, said there is fat that needs to be trimmed from the budget, including some classes. Herbst doesn't want to see the district's agriculture programs eliminated, but he asked the board to look at some of the classes to see if they were needed.
"There has to be a happy medium," he said. "I think there's still fat that can be trimmed. We're taxing ourselves right out of our homes."
Herbst said teachers need to agree to cuts in their benefits to help the district save money.
"I have a lot of respect for teachers, but they have to give a little," he said.
There were suggestions the district cut advanced placement classes unless more students were signed up for them.
Some people asked if the middle school should be closed to save money. McNulty said the district could save about $250,000 if it closed the middle school.
Herbst said the middle school is important to Gratiot and gives the community an identity.
"When something is going on at the school everybody in town is there," he said.
The board will have to make the difficult decision to make cuts or go to another referendum, McNulty said.
"This isn't going to be easy, but it isn't easy to pay more taxes, either," he said.
Residents told the board that if it decided to hold another referendum it should be a non-recurring referendum, which has an end date.