BRIMLEY - Brimley Area School Board took the first steps at reducing their deficit for the upcoming school year, voting in favor of more than $300,000 in budget reductions at their May 15 meeting.
While the numbers at this time are not final, Superintendent Alan Kantola said the school district needs to have some fall back plans "if things don't go our way with revenues and expenditures."
The budget cuts approved by the board include a number of items that will impact both the student body and staff. The Finance Committee, which met twice, was originally asked to make $400,000 in cuts, but came away from the table with a $313,000 recommendation for reduction.
Affecting students directly will be the cost of athletics transportation. The cost for transportation was offset for the current school year by the Booster Club, which operated a number of fundraisers to pay for the cost. However, the Booster Club does not wish to cover the entire bill for the coming year as the effort proved to be bigger than anticipated. They will continue to work to assist those families who cannot cover the costs.
Some of the proposed cuts include:
- Elimination of the superintendent secretary
-Elimination of free driver's education
-Reducing the number of career center students by eight
-Charging athletes per sport for transportation costs
-Eliminating various assistant coaching positions
-Not replacing two retirees
A second round of cuts are being weighed currently, which would not be acted upon until later this summer when the administration has a better idea of how funding will line up.
"The budget for next year is very tenuous," added Kantola. "We're hoping before legislature adjourns for the summer we'll know."
Items that can impact the budget are enrollment and the amount of impact aid the school receives.
With the cuts announced, those in the audience expressed concern about a lack of administrative cuts. Two years ago an extra 10 days were added to each contract for the elementary and high school principals at a cost of $5,000 each per year. The crowd questioned why administrators were receiving increases in pay and support staff was being cut.
Superintendent Kantola responded that the increase in pay for the administrators was due to the cut of the program coordinator at that time, also an administrator. He added that principals Brian Reattoir and Pete Routhier, who already work 30 days longer than teachers, were forced to add the extra 10 days to their schedules to absorb the program coordinator's responsibilities.
Brimley is not alone in the battle to maintain their budget. School districts across the state are being forced to close doors on smaller schools and consolidate their operations in an effort to save money. The increasing cost of utilities, especially natural gas and fuel, accompanied by health insurance premiums and a number of government unfunded mandates have crippled many districts into operating with just the bare necessities.
The next meeting of the Brimley School Board will take place on Monday, June 19 at 7 p.m. in the high school cafeteria.
