School Trustee Spends Own Money To Survey Residents Osmunson Wants To Know If People Feel Confident About Bonner District
Trustee Bill Osmunson wants to know what it takes to woo back some confidence in the Bonner County School District.
To find out, he’s spending his own time and money to survey residents and host two town meetings.
“A lot of people in the district think we have the confidence of the people back, but I don’t,” Osmunson said. “We haven’t convinced residents that their hard-earned dollars are being put to good use.”
As proof, Osmunson cites the abysmal failure this month of a $3 million levy. The money was supposed to build a new elementary school and make badly needed repairs at other schools.
Only 30 percent of those who voted favored the levy. Some residents campaigned against it, going so far as to run radio ads.
When the levy failed, Osmunson said it was a sign residents don’t care about their kids’ education. But levy naysayers said it failed because residents are fed up with the district which has never lived within its budget, spent itself into a deficit and has too many highpaid administrators.
“My vote is that we run another levy, but first I want to hear what residents have to say,” said Osmunson, responding to the criticism. “If they really do care about their kids then they will show up.”
Osmunson’s meetings are set for June 27 at Sandpoint Middle School and June 29 at Farmin-Stidwell Elementary. The meetings start at 7 p.m.
Osmunson also sent out 350 surveys to residents who voted in the last election. Among other things, the survey asks patrons what they want for their schools, why the levy failed, if they would pass a levy to reduce the district $414,000 deficit and if a new elementary school is needed.
“Good or bad, I want to know what people think and want for their kids’ education in Bonner County,” Osmunson said. “I don’t think the board is being pro-active enough, so I’m doing it on my own.”
Other school board members have no plans to follow suit. The board does plan to start a promotional campaign for another levy attempt that likely will go to voters in September.
In the meantime, the district has passed a $21.3 million budget for next year. It increased less than 1 percent over last year, said business manager Steve Battenschlag.
If the levy fails again in September, board members said there will be deep cuts in the budget and construction of a new elementary school in Kootenai will have to be stalled another year.
, DataTimes