EV board adopts budget
By a 4-1 vote, the East Valley School Board adopted a 2007-08 budget of nearly $38 million this week. The amount reflects cuts of $1.8 million to offset the district’s recent financial shortfall.
Board member Roger Trainor cast the sole vote against the new spending plan that includes a general fund of $37.9 million and a reserve fund of $477,700. He cited opposition to cuts in security staff at East Valley High School and the elimination of two librarian positions left vacant through attrition.
“You all know how I feel about security … and libraries,” Trainor said during the board’s regular meeting Tuesday. “I don’t feel that should be cut.”
Under a budget recovery plan, one elementary librarian position and another middle school librarian position were cut. Remaining district librarians will cover schools on a rotation basis. High school security staff was cut by 1.5 positions, reflecting one slot lost through attrition.
The board had reviewed a budget recovery plan in May, when about 24 teachers were given reduction-in-force notices. However, because of districtwide retirements and attrition – as well as some new state funding sources – all but one of those staff members have been rehired, said Ray Stookey, interim director of human resources.
Additional state funding for the district will include $227,000 toward all-day kindergarten at Trent Elementary School that covers staff costs, $321,820 toward the ECEAP pre-school program and $83,000 toward math and science professional development training, according to Al Swanson, interim fiscal manager.
“The budget is consistent with the recovery plan to cut $1.8 million to bring expenditures back in line with revenues and to begin to put more money into the unreserved (end-of-year) fund balance,” Swanson said after the meeting. “The reductions were done in a thoughtful, planned manner.”
The state Legislature approved new all-day kindergarten funding for schools with the highest free and reduced lunch program participation, Swanson added.
The district’s budget also incorporates another anticipated drop in student enrollment, from 4,051 students for 2006-07 to 3,935 estimated for 2007-08.
“We’ve averaged 100 less students each year over the past five years,” Swanson said. “It’s a trend.”
Swanson added that very little, if any, land is available for new housing developments within the district’s boundaries, which he said is a major factor influencing student population.
Other budget reductions included such cuts as: two administrative positions, reduction in hours for central office personnel, administration and board conference travel, a dean of students position at EVHS, reduced hours for one secondary counselor, consolidated bus runs, and some reduced or eliminated classified positions.