USD 410 public meetings tackle financial woes years ago
The financial situation isn't good for the Durham-Hillsboro-Lehigh school district — and it wants your help.
About 30 people attended a public meeting Tuesday night to get more information about USD 410's upcoming budget crunch. The meeting was held in the HHS technology room, and another meeting is scheduled for Thursday night at 7.
According to district estimates, USD 410 could be facing a budget shortfall of more than $300,000 as it goes into the 2003-04 school year. That's taking into account the money lost by declining enrollment, a $27 reduction in the base budget per pupil made by Gov. Graves last fall, and possible employee salary increases.
The figure also plans for further reductions in the budget per pupil, which some have said Gov. Sebelius could cut by another $86.
It's a situation that can only get worse before it gets better, said Superintendent Gordon Mohn. That's why the district is looking at the worst-case scenario.
Why is USD 410 considering the situation now? Because if it wants to cut teachers, those teachers have to be notified by May 1, Mohn said. Other budget decisions can wait until the summer.
This financial situation isn't unique to just the Hillsboro area — two out of three Kansas districts face a similar crisis, said district business manager Jerry Hinerman.
So how does the district find $300,000? It's a matter of simple math: either add revenue or subtract spending.
Tuesday night's meeting went over a large number of options that the board of education can choose.
"Everything on the list is possible," Mohn said. "Some are more painful than others."
He emphasized that although the BOE wants public input, the final decisions ultimately rest with them.
Some of the options include:
— Fee increases — The district could increase fees for textbook rental, enrollment, activities, or sports, and it could start charging a fee to take driver's education.
If the increases took effect, reduced-lunch families would still be protected, Mohn said.
— Revoking senior citizen passes — Currently, all residents over 65 get a pass to attend all sporting events for free. Charging seniors to attend games could earn the district $3,900.
But Mohn hates to charge the individuals who have already supported the school so much over the years, he said.
"They're some of our best supporters," he said.
— Raising the mill levy — According to Kansas law, school districts can have up to 25 percent of their entire budget come from the local option budget. Right now, USD 410's LOB percentage is at 21.49 percent, or just over 19 mills.
If the mill levy were increased by 1.32, that would net the district an additional $50,000. If the LOB were maxed out at 25 percent, that would raise the mill levy 5.75 and net the district $147,374.
Put in practical terms, for a home with an appraised value of $100,000 and an assessed value of $11,500, raising the mill levy 1.32 would cost a homeowner $15.18 more per year. If the mill levy were maxed out, that homeowner would pay $66.13 more per year.
— Eliminating the activity bus — Right now, two buses run every day at 6 p.m. to take home students from after-school activities like study groups or sports practices.
The routes go south of town to the Ebenfeld M.B. Church and north of town to the Durham area. Eliminating these buses would give the district $9,500.
It would also hurt students who rely on that bus, Mohn said.
"In a community like ours, some of our poorest kids live on the farm," he said.
Other options for cutting costs include increasing class sizes in the elementary school and cutting teachers, reducing custodial or secretarial hours, or reducing the number of calendar days per school year.
One woman attending the meeting asked if district paraeducators, or paras, might be cut.
Paras come to the district through the county special education program, Mohn said. The cost to hire them is minimal, since the district pays $2,000 toward each paras' salary and the state contributes the rest.
"They really don't cost us very much," he said.
Another patron asked if citizens could donate items to the school to cut costs, such as lawnmowers or vehicles.
"Every little bit helps," Mohn said. Some schools also have foundations for money donations, he said.
Those attending the meeting were given a survey where they can rank different options for coming up with the needed funds. Mohn asked that participants return their surveys to the district office or any building office by April 8.
