Applause and cheers erupted throughout the Clarkston Junior High School auditorium Monday night, as Trustee Joan Patterson finished her comment.
She had just addressed administration on an issue bothering her since $13 million in cuts to the school budget came up this past January.
‘I want to respectfully disagree on your analysis,? she said. ‘Over the past two years I have consistently asked where is the money is coming from, knowing our economic times, seeing the cuts from the state and asking how is it reflected in our budget and not seeing it.
‘Then, Jan. 25, to be told we have a $13 million deficit. Yes, I was surprised and I don’t think I was naive to think there were issues coming forth. When I hear these things, like it wasn’t a surprise, I have a difficult time accepting that.?
After the last applause died down, Superintendent Dr. Albert Roberts spoke into the microphone and said the documents have been available at all times.
As the newest member to the board, Trustee Rosalie Lieblang asked Deputy Superintendent David Reschke when he knew the deficit was as much as $13 million and where she could find the budget projection document before Jan. 25, 2010.
‘On Jan. 22, 2009, I ran a budget for 2010-2011,? he answered. ‘I don’t know if it’s necessarily shared with all the board members.?
‘If he shared with me, he shared with all of you,? Roberts interjected.
Lieblang was not satisfied with Roberts? answer. ‘If we were supposed to know, it would be helpful to me to know what report, what meeting, what conversation and what minutes,? she said.
Both Patterson and Lieblang, along with the audience, prodded the administration to answer why the district has to make so many cuts when the state, as of now, is going to cut $433 per student for this year and next year.
‘Rosalie, I understand you are new to the board and information is coming at you very quickly,? said President Steve Hyer.
The audience groaned.
Hyer continued, ‘as early as this fall we established the budget process for fiscal year 2011. On Sept. 28, we established the budget. We finalized the parameters on Nov. 9 and Nov. 23. After that it is their own fault for not understanding the numbers.?
He continued, the board knew and approved they would balance the budget over the next two years.
‘But to say it is a surprise, we look at a financial report every month and look at where our fund balance is,? Hyer added.
Patterson pressed on. ‘Where I get upset is when we heard the state was going to cut $165 per pupil, I asked, shouldn’t we be planning for this.?
Secretary Cheryl McGinnis spoke up. ‘We are not moving forward and our job is to move forward for the children of this community. We are supposed to be leading the way. Everyone in the state is in the same predicament. I am here to move forward for every single employee, student, parent, grandparent, business member, every single person. We must come together and solve this problem together.?
The board was presented with updated recommendations for 119 items to be cut for the 2011 fiscal year.
Off the table is elimination of art, music, and physical education programs.
Several options were postponed while administration looks at more details, including eliminating transportation, sister schools for grades K-5, closing an elementary school, layoff secondary media specialist, eliminate subject area coordinators, eliminate K-5 special program from general fund and run before and after school programs through community education, return to 6-hour semester schedule, return to half-day Kindergarten, restructure transportation/satellite stops, and open enrollment in grades K-5.
The community also had their chance to speak, and when it came to school budget problems, longtime community leader, Dr. James O’Neill said he has seen it all before.
‘I don’t come to board meetings because I trust you,? he told board. ‘This is d’j? vu all over again. Fourteen years ago they outsourced and we showed up. A year later they got rid of outsourcing and brought back the people and it cost a lot of money. I beg you to sit and try very hard to renegotiate.?
O’Neill addressed the board on the recommendation to outsource bus transportation and custodial services in the the district. He was also concerned about health issues when outsourcing custodial services.
School custodians agreed, saying they put in extra time and work to clean buildings when there is a flu outbreak.
Jan Davis, president of Clarkston Transportation Association, said outsourcing drivers would impact the community, since most drivers shop in the community, live and pay taxes here, and are more invested in students? wellbeing than outside drivers would be.
Parents also shared ideas to help the district.
Dawn Schaller, mother of a Sashabaw Middle School student, asked for the board to provide more budget details to the Budget Task Force, made up of members of the school board, administration, teachers, staff, parents, and taxpayers.
‘Board comments during the last meeting made it obvious there has not been full disclosure to the entire board on the financial aspects of some of the programs they have been expected to approve,? she said.
The board scheduled a meeting for this Monday, March 15, to discuss cuts in more detail before they make their final decision on March 22. They will also discuss adding a new budget parameter ? if expenses are lower than expected, class sizes will be reduced and instructional aides added. The new parameter was proposed by board President Steve Hyer, March 8, but it was tabled with a 5-1 vote.