Goodrich-Just a little more than $330 per month.
That’s how much the school board was being compensated for serving on the board’until Monday night.
In a possible effort to set the tone for a host of pending cuts that could top $2.2 million needed to balance the district budget’the board voted 6-0 (trustee Jim Bertrand was absent) to accept no pay, a total of $4,000 per year split between seven board members.
‘We are leaders here,? said Doug Tetmeyer, board secretary. ‘I’m not here for the money. Small things add up.?
The vote followed more than an hour of public comment from parents, teachers and school staff that gathered in the Goodrich community room during a special meeting to speak out on proposed cuts to an impending deficit.
The regular school board meeting that was May 24 was rescheduled to 6 p.m., May 17. The meeting agenda was not available at press time Thursday. Monday’s turnout was in part sparked by the distribution of 21 pink slips to teachers on April 19’meeting a contractional deadline with the teachers union. In addition, a proposal to change the current block scheduling to standard scheduling for students drew the ire of many teachers and students. Fazer explained that moving back to a 6- or 7-hour day would mean a reduction of four to six high school teachers and an approximate savings of $425,000 a year.
The change from block schedules would have prompted a class size of anywhere from 32-37 students say school officials.
However, by a 6-0 vote the board dumped the plan keep the current block schedule sparing the teaching positions at the high school.
‘The cuts will come from somewhere else now,? said Fazer.
‘The number of pink slips is now down to 14, but the reductions will now have to come from other sources. The decision tonight puts $425,000 back on the table.?
Now the board will take aim at squeezing the budget on May 17 at the special meeting.