Budgeting For Results Committee - April 27, 2009

[Guest sullinss]

School District No. 2, Yellowstone County

High School District No. 2, Yellowstone County

Billings, Montana

April 27, 2009

 

Call to Order

 

The Budgeting For Results Committee of School District No. 2, Yellowstone County and High School District No. 2, Yellowstone County, Montana met at Lincoln Center, 415 North 30th Street, Billings, Montana, on Monday, April 27, 2009. Vice-Chair Joel Guthals called the meeting to order at 5:15 p.m. and led those assembled in the Pledge of Allegiance. Committee members present were: Paige Darden, Deana Elder, Rod Gottula, Kelly Donovan, Bruce McIntyre, Peter Grass, Joan Sleeth, Jane McCracken, and Joel Guthals. Members Don Stanaway, Malcolm Goodrich, Ross Johnson, Mary Jo Fox, and Shanna Henry were absent. Also present were CFO Thomas Harper, Budget Analyst Becky Zent, Controller Sheri Weidinger, Executive Director of Facility Services Rich Whitney, Technology Director Karen Palmer, Adult/Community Eduction DirectorWoody Jensen, Adult Education Business Teacher Suzette Fox, and Adult Education Secretary Barb Gustafson.

 

Communication From the Public

 

No one wished to address the Committee at this time.

 

Program/Budget Review

 

Adult & Community Education Department:

 

Adult/Community Education Director Woody Jensen presented information to the Committee on Adult Education revenue sources and their impact on the District’s General Fund, programs offered to students, partnering with business and community agencies, providing a positive image of SD#2 to the public, spin-off benefits, and job skills training.

 

Revenue sources include Federal and State grants, the Yellowstone County Detention Center, Montana Women’s’ Prison, local permissive levies, plus District General Funds of $23,000 for a .75 FTE Secretary and record keeping expenses for OPI and professional development. Total revenue FY2008-09 is $2,553,892. Revenue from Community Education classes FY2008-09 of $224,462 is used to pay instructional and material costs.

 

Additional Benefits to Billings Public Schools funded by Adult Education:

• 40 used high quality computers per year turned over for District use

• Building improvements and maintenance equipment for Lincoln Center

• Shared personnel costs (receptionist, parking lot attendant, truancy center) at Lincoln Center

• Alternative & student support services programs

• Electronic learning NovaNET

• Faculty/staff in-service

• Admin/counselor services Evening High School/Summer School

• Involvement in OPI renewals and step-ups

• Open seats for staff in Community Education for further job skills training

 

Staffing includes 13 faculty for ABLE (literacy) that typically services an average of 900 students. Community Education staffing is all part-time except for three clerical full-time staff. Community Education enrollment is about 3357 which is equivalent to approximately 2500 adults.

 

It was questioned what would happen if Adult Education were ended with the District or moved out of Lincoln Center. Woody said they would be independent, and there would be no student support services and no need to make building improvements for the District. The District would not gain anything by ending these services because the Adult Education mill levy has to be used for Adult Education services; and, the District would be giving up a program that has spin-off benefits for District services which in turn may actually increase taxpayer costs.

Technology Department:

 

Director of Technology Karen Palmer presented information to the Committee on Technology Department staffing, responsibilities, funding and desired future growth.

 

Technology has 28 employees that service:

1. 33 miles of fiber optics

2. 7,000 computers

3. 18,000 users

4. 400+ network devices

5. 1750 telephones

6. 6,000 Help Desk tickets per year

7. 100,000 e-mail messages per day

8. 98 servers with 12 terabytes of data

9. 1+ terabyte of Internet traffic per day

 

Three areas served are:

1. Infrastructure (network, filters, telephones, internet/web services, servers, emergency response, security)

2. Business (Financial Services, Purchasing, Stores Inventory, Reporting, Student Information, Email, User Accounts/Storage)

3. Education [Curricular Programs (Read 180, A/R, Successmaker), Desktop Support, TILT, Library Management, and Professional Development]

 

Revenues are received from:

1. General Fund (split 50/50% between Elementary and High School)

2. Title II, Part D Federal Grant

3. E-rate

4. Timber Funds

5. Microsoft Settlement Funds

 

Karen said the District has a sufficient number of computers; however, their age is a concern. Electrical/wiring conditions at many schools hinder effective use of computers. We have a state-of-the-art fiber optic network. Additional work needs to be done with professional development, and teachers need increased exposure to become aware of technology available to enhance instruction.

 

Facilities Department:

 

Executive Director of Facility Services Rich Whitney presented information to the Committee regarding Facility Services Department staffing and expenditures.

 

Rich compared our District Maintenance and Operation (M & O) costs, expressed in dollars per square foot, to a study of comparable districts in the American School & University magazine. Figures FY2007-08 show Billings Public Schools total M&O at $3.59 as compared to comparable districts average of $4.82. Figures FY1999-2000 show Billings Public Schools total M&O at $2.37 as compared to comparable districts average of $3.14.

 

Outside contracting was questioned versus internal staffing. Rich said we have a talented creative staff able to do a good job for less, and this was validated by an audit team in year 1999 or 2000. We still contract projects our staff does not have the time to complete.

 

Rich reported we contracted with Energy Education, Inc. to reduce utility costs. Night temperature controls are working well, and they will be moving toward behavior modification to increase energy savings. The District has joined with Yellowstone Business Partnership to improve environmental practices through recycling without adding costs.

 

Stimulus money should provide some relief for our $120M list of deferred maintenance. There will be some one-time-only money and some quick-start grants we can apply for. An increased effort will be made to secure private donations. We have been fortunate so far to receive funding from the NW Energy grant, Qualified Zone Academy Bonds; and, donations for projects from the Sample Family, Wendy’s, Nike, and the PTA’s.

 

Rich was asked if there was any opportunity to save money by cutting his Department’s budget. Rich replied his budget was already down to the “bare bones.” We pay more by not getting things done in a timely manner. If we cannot afford maintenance; we definitely cannot afford to repair deterioration.

 

Rich was asked if we could get rid of rental classrooms. Rich replied we have a total of 24 portable classrooms. The only rented classroom we have is at Ponderosa and the rest are permanent. The cost is cheaper upfront but requires more maintenance, operation and energy costs long-term.

 

Rich was asked what the figure of 17 of our 22 schools were overcrowded was based on per the State Assessment. Rich replied it was based on the figure of 131 square feet per student.

 

Adjournment

 

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:13 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

Joel Guthals, Vice-Chair

 

 

 

 

Sherrill Sullins, Recorder