Board waits for more information on budget
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RONAN - "Hurry up and wait" was the tone Monday, May 9, as superintendent Andy Holmlund informed trustees that the school board must wait to discuss funding until school funding is finalized through the legislature. Until the legislature comes to an agreement on funding, the district won’t know their situation for the upcoming year. Gov. Brian Schweitzer recently vetoed HB 316, a piece of legislature tied to school funding. The decision will force adjustments to the state’s school funding formula. Once the final figures are in place, the board will hold a special meeting to discuss the district's budget. That meeting hasn’t been finalized, but is planned to be held on May 24..
Trustees voted to renew all tenured contracts for the upcoming year, but decided to wait for word on the final funding before renewing non-tenured teachers.
“We’re still waiting to get the facts from the state,” Holmlund said. “Once we have the final numbers we will know where we are sitting.”
“We will not do a reduction of force,” Holmlund said, “we’ve been in tougher positions at this time in the past.”
Meanwhile, board members welcomed Darrell Clairmont as their newest trustee. Clairmont will be serving his first one-year term. Wendy Thingelstad and Mark Clary were chosen to fill the two three-year positions. John Anderson and Carmel Couture were elected to one, and three-year terms respectively, by acclamation.
In other business, second adoptions of student and staff handbooks were approved to move to their third readings. While discussing the activities handbook, John Anderson made a point to brainstorm with fellow trustees in regard to disciplinary actions and eligibility requirements before the hand books are printed in August.
As one of the newer trustees, Anderson explained he would like to obtain information from fellow board members, so that he can make informed decisions on these issues in the future.
Trustees also approved the open and award fuel bids for 2011-12, and 2012-13 school years. The bid was for 5,000 gallons of gasoline for school vehicles, along with 30,000 gallons of diesel for busses. The district was able to lock in fuel prices at six cents above provider costs, including delivery.
Also on the agenda was a resolution to dispose of surplus property through a sale, which will be held June 15 at 8 a.m. at the storage barn east of K. William Harvey Elementary school. All proceeds will go into the District’s general fund, or any fund that is deemed appropriate.
“What we don’t dispose of will go to a landfill,” Holmlund said. “We are the original Wal-mart.”
The next meeting is the districts special budget, which is currently planned to be held May 24, however, a time and location haven’t been finalized yet.
