School District won't float levy
Due to economic constraints on the community and the uncertainty of funding for the next biennium, Columbia Falls School District 6 trustees voted unanimously to cancel the May 5 elementary and high school district mill levy elections during Monday's regular board meeting.
Had district patrons passed either or both levies, the money would have gone toward a projected shortfall in funding for the 2009-2010 school year.
Superintendent Michael Nicosia told trustees that an anticipated 3 percent increase in funding for public education for the next biennium from the state is now expected to be just 1 percent, which equates to $16 million. There is a possibility that the other 2 percent, or $32 million, would be backfilled with federal stimulus money — one-time-only dollars. However, that 2 percent, if it happens, would not go into the general fund.
"Education is supposed to benefit from this stimulus money," Nicosia said, but he doesn't believe that will be the case to help minimize upcoming shortfalls in funding.
Nicosia said there was $10 million in funding for at-risk programs last year, but that's gone now.
"We could be closing our alternative school in the near future," he said, as a result of the shortfall.
In other action during Monday's meeting, the board canceled the May 5 trustee election. Since only two candidates filed for the two positions that would be open, current trustees Jill Rocksund — the board chair — and Jim Henjum were re-elected to three-year terms by acclamation. According to trustee Larry Wilson, this is the 10th straight year that the election was uncontested.
Kim Downey of Denning, Downey and Associates presented the district's fiscal year 2008 audit report. Trustees were pleased to hear that it was a "completely clean" audit, with no findings of inaccuracies.
"They have an excellent business office," Downey said.
Trustees commended business manager/clerk Dustin Zuffelato and his team for their expertise.
There was a review of the 2008-09 school year accreditation status. The review showed some minor deviations, all related to libraries, which can be remedied.
BILL DAKIN of RE/MAX Mountain View addressed the board about the pending sale of the Eagle School property in Coram. He asked trustees to concede the overlapping areas at the west end of the property in order to close the deal. Dakin said the buyers, a couple from Trego, had already conceded the .12 acres if the $150,000 sale price was reduced accordingly.
Trustees voted to accept the adjusted sale price of $144,600, a reduction of $5,400 due to land given up by the overlapping. Dakin said the sale should close by the end of April.
Also Monday, trustees approved a contract with Actuaries Northwest to provide a Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) Statement No. 45 district valuation for fiscal years 2009, 2011 and 2013.
Trustees approved the resignation of special education paraeducator Kathleen McNamara, and the retirement of Glacier Gateway second grade teacher Linda Layton and speech/language pathologist Alida Wright — all effective at the end of this school year.
Also, trustees voted to approve 132 tenured teacher contracts for school year 2009-2010 — 89 in the elementary district and 43 in the high school district.