Otselic Valley School District still trimming, refining budget
GEORGETOWN – Otselic Valley School officials, joined by approximately two dozen faculty and community members, met for their third and final budget workshop Wednesday night. They continued to address the difficult economic challenges the district is facing due to Governor David A. Patterson’s proposed $328,389 in cuts for the Otselic Valley Central School District, a 5.89 percent reduction in projected state aid for the 2010-2011 school year.
Interim Superintendent Linda Taylor stated that while most of the statistics reported at the March 3 meeting remained consistent, school officials had continued to make progress trimming the budget, which must be finalized by April 14.
Taylor reported the total administrative cost dropped from .72 percent to 1.9 percent since the last workshop, mostly due to the retirement of someone in an elementary administrative position, and she added that the cost of programs fell to 1.13 percent from .41 percent.
Some in attendance said students are “extremely upset” by some of the proposed cuts, in particular a high school English position, and Taylor responded that officials are “hoping to save more positions,” and that “we’re worried as educators, too.”
“We are all scrambling to save programs and teachers and we’re not standing still,” said Taylor. “We have to continue moving forward and we must take into consideration the current economic times.”
In all, proposed cuts include the high school English position, two elementary teaching positions, an elementary principal, a bus driver, and four Licensed Teaching Assistants. A home and careers position, as well as a physics position, would be half-time jobs in the coming school year.
The continued refinement of the budget showed a tax levy increase of 3.67 percent, down from 5.26 percent at the last workshop, and reduction of the overall budget of 1.13 percent, or $102,173.
“We’re doing everything we can and we have to hang in there and work together for the students,” said Taylor, who added that “when you vote a budget down, it sends a negative message.”
“As a small district you run out of things to cut and it’s going to be tough. These cuts will have an impact,” she said.
Interim Superintendent Linda Taylor stated that while most of the statistics reported at the March 3 meeting remained consistent, school officials had continued to make progress trimming the budget, which must be finalized by April 14.
Taylor reported the total administrative cost dropped from .72 percent to 1.9 percent since the last workshop, mostly due to the retirement of someone in an elementary administrative position, and she added that the cost of programs fell to 1.13 percent from .41 percent.
Some in attendance said students are “extremely upset” by some of the proposed cuts, in particular a high school English position, and Taylor responded that officials are “hoping to save more positions,” and that “we’re worried as educators, too.”
“We are all scrambling to save programs and teachers and we’re not standing still,” said Taylor. “We have to continue moving forward and we must take into consideration the current economic times.”
In all, proposed cuts include the high school English position, two elementary teaching positions, an elementary principal, a bus driver, and four Licensed Teaching Assistants. A home and careers position, as well as a physics position, would be half-time jobs in the coming school year.
The continued refinement of the budget showed a tax levy increase of 3.67 percent, down from 5.26 percent at the last workshop, and reduction of the overall budget of 1.13 percent, or $102,173.
“We’re doing everything we can and we have to hang in there and work together for the students,” said Taylor, who added that “when you vote a budget down, it sends a negative message.”
“As a small district you run out of things to cut and it’s going to be tough. These cuts will have an impact,” she said.
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