JEFFERSON SCHOOL DISTRICT Budget Committee Meeting *Unofficial Minutes April 18 & May 2, :30 PM, Board Room

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1 JEFFERSON SCHOOL DISTRICT Budget Committee Meeting *Unofficial Minutes April 18 & May 2, :30 PM, Board Room PRESENT APRIL 18: Kaye Jones, Melissa LaCrosse, Tracy Roe, Nancy Hamby, Bill Linhart, Chuck McGehee, Jeff Page, Matt Withee, Budget Committee Members; Kent Klewitz, Superintendent; Sarah Bishop, Business Manager; Karen Wusstig, Secretary; District Staff and Patrons EXCUSED APRIL 18: Terry Kamlade, Ron Cairns 1. CALL TO ORDER: Board Chairman Tracy Roe called the meeting to order at 6:30 PM. 2. ELECTION OF OFFICERS: 2.1 Jeff Page nominated Matt Withee for Chairman. Following the second by Chuck McGehee, nominations were closed. VOTE: All in favor. Motion carried. 2.2 Chuck McGehee nominated Jeff Page as First Vice-Chairman. Nominations were closed following a second by Nancy Hamby. VOTE: 9 in favor, 1 opposed (Page). Motion carried. 2.3 Chuck McGehee nominated Nancy Hamby as Second Vice-Chairwoman. Following a second by Jeff Page, nominations were closed. VOTE: All in favor. Motion carried. 2.4 Karen Wusstig was appointed Recorder. 3. ADOPTION OF COMMITTEE RULES & REGULATIONS: MOTION, Linhart; SECOND, McGehee to adopt the Budget Committee Rules and Regulations as presented. VOTE: All in favor. Motion carried. 4. BUDGET MESSAGE: From his Budget Message, Superintendent Klewitz reviewed the state of the District and introduced the potential for growth supported by improved funding based to increased enrollment. Mr. Klewitz reviewed the accomplishments district-wide and at each school, highlighted in his message. State School Funding (SSF) for the past, current and next year were reviewed. The proposed budget is built on the only SSF estimate received so far. This proposed $8,813,683 budget and includes: Cost of full-day kindergarten within the General Fund A counselor at the middle school Moderate cost of living increases and step movement on salary schedules Moderate increase in the employee benefits package Ending Fund Balance (EFB) from.5% to 2.2% of the general fund ($50,000 to $200,000) Wi-Fi infrastructure using District and erate funding

2 Increase of district office support staff by.5 FTE Continued efforts to maintain and improve facilities Additional seismic studies to secure additional seismic grant funding Continued support of Professional Learning Communities with a focus on student learning and collaborative designing of instruction, regular progress monitoring, instructional planning and planned interventions In closing his message, Mr. Klewitz commended staff for their dedication in spite of ever-increasing demands. 5. DISCUSSION: Inviting discussion, Superintendent Klewitz and business manager Sarah Bishop took the committee through the proposed budget document section by section. Asked about the online program, Mr. Klewitz said 20 students are currently enrolled. It is paying for itself; however, as it grows, so do some of the associated expenses. The online program now meets a number of alternative education needs including support for homeschool students, credit recovery for our own students, GED prep by community members, and has the potential to meet other needs as well. Asked about a librarian, Mr. Klewitz said one is not included in the proposed budget; however, he does hope to fund library assistants at least at a part-time level. Mrs. Hamby hopes this will be among the top priorities. Asked about the difference between positions mentioned during the April workshop and those now purposed, Mr. Klewitz pointed out the approximately $200,000 fewer dollars in the estimate than were anticipated. Life Skills Programs at two schools and Learning Resource Centers at all three are planned for next year. A shift in 200 Funds to the elementary school was noted as a meager attempt to fund a math textbook adoption. Funding for textbooks at all schools appears inadequate compared to the needs. The $30,000 paid to the Park and Recreation District has remained the same for the last several years. It is used for equipment, coaches, uniforms, officials, etc., but does not fully fund the middle school athletic program. Hearing the suggestion that reducing class sizes at the elementary school may supersede the need for a middle school counselor, Mr. Klewitz acknowledged the need for additional staffing across the district including the high school math department; none of which diminishes the need for a middle school counselor. Asked about the potential for an increased estimate before the next meeting, Mr. Klewitz said no significant change is anticipated as this is the 2 nd year of the

3 biennium and the funding level has remained consistent. The best hope for increased funding comes with an increase in district enrollment; however, an increase in enrollment state-wide will counter any positive effect for Jefferson. Growing the ending fund balance is of great importance, especially in light of the impending PERS increase. MOTION, McGehee; SECOND, Jones to recess to May 2. DISCUSSION: Meet again in May or adopt now considering no increase in funding is anticipated. VOTE: 2 in favor (Jones, LaCrosse), 5 opposed (Roe, Linhart, Hamby, McGehee, Page) 1 abstained (Withee), 2 absent (Kamlade, Cairns) Motion failed. MOTION, McGehee; SECOND, Hamby to adopt the proposed budget. DISCUSSION: It s too soon. Questions may arise that cannot be asked as a committee without reconvening. Requests for change must be made in a public meeting. District administration is entrusted to present a balanced budget. The numbers add up. The elementary does not have enough teacher FTE, the budget should not be adopted without doing something about it. Again the need for a middle school counselor was weighed alongside the need for additional teaching staff at the elementary school. Mr. Klewitz said needs in other buildings have gone unmet over the years to maintain and/or increase staffing at the elementary school. Asked about the level of need, middle school principal Tracy Keuler gave a clear and heart rendering account of current crises being faced by middle schools students without benefit of counseling support. The Teachers Association is fully aware and supportive of the decision to fill the counselor vacancy. VOTE: 4 in favor (McGehee, Linhart, Hamby, Page); 4 opposed (Roe, Withee, LaCrosse, Jones); 2 absent (Cairns, Kamlade). Motion failed. MOTION, McGehee; SECOND, Jones to recess to May 2. VOTE: all present in favor; 2 absent (Cairns, Kamlade). Motion carried. 6. RECESS: Chairman Withee adjourned following these closing comments: Linhart noted that nothing will change by May 2. Page said, the District needs contingency, a rainy day fund. LaCrosse Hearing about class sizes daily. Wants to look the budget document over. It doesn t have to be adopted until June. Namby, referring to the letter from a 4 th grader, said the class-size situation is heart breaking; doesn t take her committee role lightly; has a passion for schools, but it s not helpful robbing from one to give to another. LaCrosse said the bond election is May 17. Should it pass, would facility and maintenance funds be freed up? Not according to Mr. Klewitz who noted several large maintenance projects that are needed, of which only a portion would be addressed by passage of the bond.

4 Roe agrees things aren t going to change, but some feel the need to look deeper. Board can direct change at the Board level. Page said, as a Budget Committee member, he doesn t have all the information that the board has, but he makes sure it adds up. No more teachers will be gotten without sacrificing others, which are important too. LaCrosse, referencing her experience working with budgets, described questioning line by line. Sees a pretty budget, but doesn t see what s underneath it. She is looking to dig in and seeing more detail. She has seen things in county government and budget building that she didn t like, such as FTE held in departments and sheltering funds. McGehee said the Budget will be recommended to the Board, which will decide what they want to do with it. With that, the meeting recessed. PRESENT 5/2: Ron Cairns, Kaye Jones, Terry Kamlade, Melissa LaCrosse, Tracy Roe, Nancy Hamby, Bill Linhart, Jeff Page, Matt Withee, Budget Committee Members; Kent Klewitz, Superintendent; Sarah Bishop, Business Manager; Karen Wusstig, Secretary; District Staff and Patrons EXCUSED 5/2: Chuck McGehee 7. RECONVENE: Following the flag salute, Budget Committee Chairman Matt Withee reconvened the meeting at 6:30 PM. 8. REVIEW BUDGET: Mr. Klewitz reported having no changes, as no funding updates were received. Excused from the first meeting, Mr. Kamlade asked for a review by Mr. Klewitz. Regarding the increase to $100,000 in contingency and $100,000 in unappropriated funds, only contingency can be moved; unappropriated requires a supplemental budget. Mrs. Bishop said the typical goal is 10% of operating expenses for each, which would be closer to $900,000 each. The Oregon Association of School Business Officials (OASBO) recommends 9%. Concerns over the need for costly maintenance and repairs were expressed. A number of needs outside of the scope of the bond have been identified, including issues with the north face of the high school building and a leaking roof on the middle school gym. Mr. Klewitz said an Extended School Year Program being considered to meet the needs of some Special Education students has not been provided in the past, but will be funded if deemed necessary. The balancing of funding for last year is about even and funding this year is $10,000 - $15,000 more.

5 Mayor Patrick McKenzie addressed the Budget Committee, explaining plans to seek City Council support in acquiring a grant to fund a third Marion County Sheriff s Deputy that could be in the schools during the school year. If awarded, the grant would fund the position for three years and require The City to provide funding for the fourth year and beyond. Mayor McKenzie asked for the District s support paying approximately $50,000 additional per year to justify bringing an officer into the schools during the school year. When asked where in the budget this could be budgeted, Mr. Klewitz suggested a line item for school safety. As a participant in the District s bond development process, Mr. McKenzie noted observing that school safety has been a priority and a concern of the citizens. If this budget can handle it, this is a great opportunity for the District. Melissa LaCrosse asked about counseling services showing 1.5 FTE, as currently staffed. Mr. Klewitz explained having planned to fund 2.0 FTE from the general fund and exploring options for funding the remaining.5 FTE, but failing to change the numbers accordingly. Mrs. LaCrosse suggested keeping it at.5 FTE for each the elementary school and the middle school. Mr. Klewitz noted that his budget message reflects accurately and, although not reflected in the budget, a full FTE is planned for the middle school counselor; an error that will be corrected. The Committee asked that, while locating the remaining funds for a full 1.0 FTE counselor at the middle school, Mr. Klewitz also locates $10,000 to for the resource officer, and then move toward a larger contribution in the future. 9. APPROVE BUDGET: MOTION, Kamlade; SECOND, Withee for the Jefferson School District 14J Budget Committee approve taxes for the fiscal year at the rate of $ per $1,000 of assessed value for operating purposes in the General Fund. DISCUSSION: The Budget Committee expressed support for the City s efforts towards a grant for a shared officer and for contributing to the expense. Mr. Klewitz noted the good faith effort which can be added to the Budget Message. VOTE: 6 in favor (Cairns, Kamlade, Roe, Hamby, Page, Linhart) 1 absent (McGehee), 3 opposed (Withee, Jones & LaCrosse, who stated wanting to see the corrected figures). Motion carried. 10. ADJOURN: Chairman Withee adjourned the meeting at 8:16 PM. Board Representative Board Secretary *Unofficial until signed by a Board representative and the recorder.