Special Meeting - March 7, 2005 - Draft

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Proceedings of the Board of Trustees

District No. 2, Yellowstone County

High School District No. 2, Yellowstone County

Special Board Meeting-Work Session on Fiscal Year 2006 Budget

Lewis and Clark School

Billings, Montana

 

March 7, 2005

 

 

Call to Order

 

The Special Meeting of the Board of Trustees of School District No. 2, Yellowstone County, Montana, and High School District, Yellowstone County, Montana, was duly held at Lewis and Clark Middle School, Billings, Montana, March 7, 2005, at 7:30 p.m.

 

Chair Katharin Kelker presided.

 

Roll Call

 

Members present included Katharin Kelker, Clerk Leo Hudetz, Superintendent Rod Svee, Conrad Stroebe, Mike Dimich, Malcolm Goodrich, Dale Getz, and Karen Moses.

 

Approximately 60 people were in attendance at the meeting

 

Work Session

 

The Board held a work session regarding the fiscal year 2006 budget. Chair Kelker introduced Malcolm Goodrich, the chair of the district’s business committee. Mr. Goodrich discussed several budget scenarios facing the school district which included the anticipation that the current proposal by the governor would be passed by the Montana legislature and that a mill levy would be approved by the voters. Mr. Goodrich stated, “With or without a mill levy we will need some trimming of expenses.” Some potential areas of savings that he pointed out were:

1) Reducing hard costs (non-personnel).

2) Removing indirect costs from grants to help pay for the general fund deficit.

3) Reducing personnel.

4) Reducing or eliminating “Extra” programs such as athletics, art and band.

 

Mr. Goodrich state that the board wants to involve the public in deciding whether to request an increase in mill levies at the next election.

 

Superintendent Rod Svee then addressed the meeting regarding legislative issues currently being considered in Helena. Mr. Svee stated that currently the state’s funding formula for education is not connected to the requirements of a quality education. Mr. Svee also pointed out that the current proposal in the legislature to increase state funding of education by $80 million represents only about a 1% increase for the Billings Public Schools.

 

Chair Katharin Kelker then asked the group to split into small groups to discuss the budget, give insights for the board to consider and recommend whether the board should seek approval for a mill levy increase at the election in May.

 

All six groups recommended that because of the potential budget shortfall, the school board should ask the voters for a mill levy increase. A couple groups felt it might not be necessary to ask for the maximum amount possible for the high schools.

 

The following insights were given by the groups’ spokesperson:

 

Sue Nord, a parent, recommended these insights:

1) When promoting a mill levy, the board should try to be positive in its approach and not dwell on scare tactics of what programs would be lost.

2) The school board should seek congressional support from the Montana delegation in order to help meet unfunded mandates.

3) The budget projections presented at this meeting indicate serious long term problems for the school district and need to be addressed and the state and federal levels, not the local level.

4) The school board should look at other districts across the country that have faced similar problems and learn how through restructuring and other ways that solutions were found.

5) If the board does decide to put a mill levy on the ballot, then an effort should be made to develop a broad base of support from educational, business and community organizations.

 

Jackie Worstell, from Boulder PTA, stated her group felt that parents needed to be given a “reality check” in order to realize how education will suffer if a mill levy does not pass. She also stated that it is important to develop a marketing program in order to pass a mill levy.

 

Malcolm Goodrich, a parent and board member, stated his group felt K-SHIP, the state wide health plan for school district employees currently being proposed in the Montana legislature, should be pushed and supported by the school district. His group also recommended the privatization of all or a part of the school sports programs.

 

Jay Kirk, a parent, state his group felt the following actions should be taken in promoting the passage of a mill levy:

1) Utilize parent steering committees to promote the mill levy.

2) Use phone trees.

3) Let parents know what the issues are.

4) Give out information regarding the budget and levy.

5) Let people know what programs will be cut if the mill levy does not pass.

 

Conrad Stroebe, board member, presented his group’s findings. They are:

1) Cut sports.

2) Clarify the budget and present it in an understandable way.

3) Address issues still remaining from the labor strike.

4) See widespread support for the passage of the mill levy.

5) A need for a marketing effort to pass a mill levy.

 

The last group was represented by Patty Fain. Her group provided the following insights:

1) Identify potential voters in a mill levy election and concentrate on getting the vote out in support of a mill levy.

2) Let people know what items in the budget would be cut if a mill levy does not pass.

3) Push K-SHIP, the statewide health insurance program.

 

Curt Prchal, from the last group, added that their group felt that the public must know that any mill levy passage would just maintain the status quo in the level of education the school district now offers. It would not create money for any new programs or services.

 

 

 

Adjournment

 

As there was no further business, the meeting adjourned at 9:31 p.m.

 

 

 

 

Katharin Kelker, Chair

 

 

 

Leo Hudetz, Clerk