NB School district to ask for operating, building levies

By Barbara Brown
The North Branch school districtís fund balance is dropping, according to finance director Randi Johnson, and if the board does not include an operating levy question along with Novemberís expected building referendum, expenses are going to continue to grow outside the bounds of revenues.
Inflation is one culprit behind the need for an increased operating budget, but another is the expense of running several overcrowded schools.
The board was told to expect a $2.2 million deficit for the 2003 fiscal year with an additional $600,000 deficit the following year.
While the districtís fund balance is expected to remain at about eight percent of its current expenses, Johnson told the board that using the balance as a kind of stop-gap measure would only postpone the inevitable.
The fund balance only covers about one monthís expenses, as required by the state.
The school board wants to see per pupil funding pushed to $500 per student for a period of seven years. That amount would be a combined total between referendum funding and state funding.
The increase in the operating budget could reduce any possible cuts the school board may have to take in the coming school year, although the board may still need to examine potential cuts.
The principals of all the schools examined the allocations received at the schools and developed lists that included cuts ranging from clerks, special education, security and teachers to aides, health staff, custodial staff and coaches.
Enrollment districtwide is expected to increase more than 12 percent to 4,158 by the 2005-2006 school year. Current enrollment is about 3,692.
If an operating levy is not passed, in addition to cuts the district could see increased class sizes and no newly hired teachers.
If the voters approve the operating levy and the proposed building levy, the increased tax impact on a $150,000 house would be approximately $350 over a year.
The district also will ask voters to approve a $27.5 million levy that would be used to build a new elementary school and improve lighting, indoor air quality and accessibility of the primary school.
The current primary school was built in 1961.
The proposed new building would serve the educational needs of the projected 4,158 students across all grades.
The new elementary school would hold 1,000 students in third, fourth and fifth grades.
The temporary classrooms at the primary school would be removed and the mechanical and electrical systems would be improved to meet fire safety, accessibility and air codes.
The combined proposed increases would mean less than one dollar per day when paired with a building referendum.
Donna Hubbard, one of the leaders of the Support Our Schools group that was formed after the last referendum failed, said she canít see how anyone would not vote for the referendum request.
ìIf we can educate our children and have them in the proper facilities and have it cost us less than one dollar per day, how could we say no?î

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