June 10, 2021 at 1:12 p.m.
Northland Community Schools trims $400,000 from 2011-2012 budget
The board met in a working session prior to the business end of Thursday's meeting. During the school board meeting in February, the board directed administration to bring their recommendation for personnel and programs cuts to the March meeting. During the working session, Interim Superintendent, Dr. Ron Bratlie presented a preliminary budget summary, with differing scenarios on the outcome of the district's unreserved balance at the end of the school year. The district will end the 2010-2011 school year with an unreserved fund balance of as much as $184,926, down to a low end estimate of $64,926, approximately 10 percent of what the district started the 2010-2011 school year with.
At the conclusion of the 2011-2012 school year, depending on the beginning unreserved fund balance, the district will be operating in the red, leaving the ending unreserved balance somewhere between -$417,530 to -$582,530. The larger of the numbers would put the district into statutory operating debt (SOD). If the district would fall into SOD, the Minnesota Department of Education would require development of a plan on how the district would pull itself out of SOD.[[In-content Ad]]
Dr. Bratlie identified proposed budget cuts of roughly $400,000. Each item was reviewed during the working session. The cuts were then presented during the regular board meeting, for the board to take action. Those cuts included the following:
Elimination of one full time high school English position; eliminating one full time high school math position; changing one full time physical education/health position to a half-time position; and elimination of one full time elementary teaching position. High school science teacher Dale Foss and the district's vocal music teacher, Colleen Belgum, will be retiring at the conclusion of this school year. The board voted to eliminate the vocal music position and program; and change the full time science position to a half-time position. One full time social studies position will be reduced by 33 percent.
The board approved by a 4-1 vote, placing the following employees on unrequested leave of absence (ULA): Carol Procopio, high school math; Bev Reilein, high school English; and elementary teacher, Dan Martin. Mandy Giffen's full time physical education/health position will be reduced to half-time. Voting yes were Bill Hansen, Dan Switzer, Rusty Lilyquist and Tandy Kibbler. Voting no: Ione Boor.
Other targeted cuts or restructuring proposals administration identified included: Restructuring the Special Education Department; restructure and reduce expenditures in the Custodial Department; reduce transportation expenses; and restructuring and reductions in non-certified staffing, overtime, extended contracts, and insurance. These targeted cuts are estimated to total $162,000. The board approved all additional cuts.
Anticipating more cuts will be needed, School Board Chairman, Terry Gross made a motion, which the board passed, directing the superintendent and principal to further identify addition expense items to be scrutinized for reduction or elimination, totalling $100,000 or more.
Principal's Report
Principal Akre reported administrators in the districts making up the Itasca Area Schools Collaborative (IASC), have been discussing solutions for cost savings to all the districts, which are facing many of the same finance problems Northland is experiencing. Telepresence is the latest technology education program IASC districts are studying. Rather than losing much needed programs to funding cuts, the districts would be able to share instructors via telecommunications. Making one instructor available to many districts, who would split the cost of the instructor's salary. IASC principals will meet to try to form a common bell schedule. Sharing of instructors wouldn't work if the schools class schedules weren't nearly identical for at least part of the day.
Akre gave recognition to Cass County Sheriff Tom Burch, Cass County deputies Bryan Welk and John Murry, the Anoka County Sheriff's Department and the Minnesota State Patrol for their quick response and thorough investigation during a recent bomb threat received by the district. Akre said the State Patrol used their helicopter to quickly get canine officers from Anoka County to the school building in Remer. The helicopter alone, without considering the cost of time and manpower, unfortunately cost Minnesota taxpayers $700 per hour.
Leslie Stalker, director of the Cass County State Health Improvement Program (SHIP) made a presentation on the progress of the health improvement program Northland Schools implemented back in October. Students using pedometers, reported the amount of steps the collectively took. Students collectively took enough steps to be able to walk to the Moon. High school students pared up with elementary students to encourage keeping active. Stalker was pleased with the group effort between departments in the high school, the fitness team, and the students efforts in achieving a healthy activity.
In other board business: •The board approved the 2011-2012 school calendar
•Approved hiring an Elementary Literacy Tutor, to be paid for with grant funding.
•Approved an overnight trip for the girl's softball team
•Accepted and thanked the Longville Area Community Foundation for the $2,500 donation designated for the NHS Band Fund.
•Accepted and thanked the Northland Lions for the donation of $2,200 for the Hooked on Fishing Program.
•Approved the updated associate substitute list for 2010-2011.
The board will have their next regular meeting on Thursday, April 21, at 7 p.m., at the Crooked Lake Town Hall in Outing.
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