SOUTH WASHINGTON COUNTY SCHOOLS-SCHOOL BOARD WORKSHHOP

District 833

School Board Workshop

Summary of Clerk's Minutes

02 June 2011

Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, a workshop of the School Board of Independent School District 833, South Washington County Schools, was held on Thursday, June 2, 2011. The meeting was called to order by Chairman Leslee Boyd at 6:03 p.m. at the District Service Center, located at 7362 East Point Douglas Road South, Cottage Grove, MN. School Board members present were Marsha Adou, Leslee Boyd, Tracy Brunnette, Jim Gelbmann, Laurie Johnson, Ron Kath and David Kemper. Superintendent Mark T. Porter was present.

Mary Amidon, Assistant to the Superintendent and School Board, presented the first reading of the Series 700 policies that focus on the non-instructional operations and business services of the school district. Aaron Bushberger, Director of Finance, Gary Dechaine, Director of Transportation, and Barb Osthus, Director of Nutrition Services, were on hand to answer questions related to the policies. The Series 700 policies will be brought back to the June 16th School Board meeting for approval.

Gary Dechaine, Director of Transportation, and Aaron Bushberger, Director of Finance, presented the first reading of the proposed 2011-2012 Designated for Transportation budget. Projected revenue consists primarily of state aid as a percentage of the district's general education formula allowance. Other sources of revenue consist of miscellaneous state aids, levy for Valley Crossing alternate calendar days, field trips and interest earnings. The major areas of expenditures include administration and office operations, mechanics / bus garage, bus operations, student safety and capital expenditures. The budget reflects contract settlements consistent with those budgeted in the General Fund, includes replacement of two buses and two special needs vans, and a continuation to purchase fuel in cooperation with the state through the Fuel Consortium Purchase Program. The current fuel contract is set at $2.88/gal through 1/31/12. For the remainder of the budget in 2012, the fuel needs are calculated at $3.70/gal. For 2011-2012, projected revenue for this budget is $5,531,282 while expenditures are projected at $6,021,086. The projected fund balance for June 30, 2012 is $622,234. This budget will be brought back to the June 16th School Board meeting for approval.

Aaron Bushberger, Director of Finance, presented the first reading of the proposed 2011-2012 General Fund Budget. Staffing recommendations and budget adjustments were approved by the School Board at their March 24, 2011 meeting. The 2011-2012 Integration Revenue budget was approved at the April 21, 2011 meeting. Other components of the General Fund Budget - Reserved for Operating Capital and Reserved for Health and Safety - were approved at board meetings earlier in the year. Budget assumptions include an enrollment change of 0%; state revenue change of 0% (unknown until the Legislative process is complete); 2% increase to salaries and benefits (unknown until contracts are settled); and increase in tuition, utilities and insurance at 5% Revenue highlights from the General Fund include:

•"General Fund revenue comes from state aid/credits; federal aid; local levies; interest earnings and other local sources

•Revenue is projected at $146,484,413

•State revenue is unknown until the Legislative process is complete

•79% of General Fund revenues come from the state

•The primary source of state funding is General Education revenue ($5,124 per pupil)

•Enrollment is estimated at 17,116

Expenditure highlights from the General Fund include:

•86% of the budget is for salaries and benefits - two contracts have settled through 2011-2012 and eight contracts will expire on June 30, 2011

•Expenditures are projected at $153,061,586

•Staffing ratios are: K-5 is 28.5:1; 6-8 is 30.5:1; 9-12 is 31.5:1

One-time budget adjustments already made include - eliminate Internal Service Fund contribution of $2,500,000; allocate remaining EdJobs Funds of $500,000; and other one-time adjustments of $188,543. Ongoing budget adjustments include - early retirement incentive plan of $855,000; other ongoing adjustments of $1,064,584. The projected fund balance for June 30, 2012 is $10,692,178. The General Fund budget will be brought back to the board for approval at their June 16th meeting.

Mark T. Porter, Superintendent, and members of the Superintendent's Cabinet, presented the first reading of the proposed Pathway to Excellence Strategic Plan. Following approval, the work will begin in earnest to move forward with Pathway to Excellence, a five-year plan that will include a new mission statement, value statements, strategic objectives, with more narrow goal statements connected to individual action plans. The effort involved many people from the beginning of the process. Parents, students, staff and community members responded to surveys and participated in public meetings. A team of 41 representatives from many facets of our district came together for a day and a half to develop a mission statement, value statements and strategic objectives. The plan will be brought back to the board for approval at their June 16th meeting.

Mark T. Porter, Superintendent, brought forward a discussion about the resolution relating to the election of School Board members and calling for the school district's General Election. This resolution calling for a School Board election on November 8, 2011 to fill three vacant positions (beginning January 1, 2012) will be brought to the June 16th meeting for approval by the School Board. Board member Jim Gelbmann requested a discussion on moving School Board elections from odd years to even years. Jim stated that moving to an even year would offer two possible benefits - a financial benefit by sharing costs with other municipalities and increasing the voter turnout with a convenience factor of voting every two years instead of every year. Superintendent Porter talked about the costs associated with elections as well as the various districts that are still on odd year elections. Several board members felt that the district ballot questions would lose focus if they were moved to even year elections. There was not a consensus among the board members to move elections to the even years.

The workshop adjourned at 9:50pm.

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Tags: public notices, meetings