APS board members concerned with which cuts to make
Crystal NelsonThe Alpena Public Schools Board of Education will have much to discuss during its meeting Monday evening. When the board's executive committee met Thursday morning, members voiced concerns they had with budgetary recommendations made by the finance committee.
On Wednesday morning, the finance committee recommended the district make approximately $554,500 in proposed mid-year cuts. The recommendation included the elimination of 13 non-teaching positions, sparing the $200,000 preschool program, and tabled a decision to eliminate a lifeguard and utilities payments for Alpena County Plaza pool.
Joe Stenz, board vice president, wanted to know whether the $200,000 it takes to run preschool would be taken out of the fund balance or if the board is planning to make up that money in additional cuts.
"I know we're cutting deep - I understand that - but I just think it's going to get worse and if we delay it, our equity fund runs out quicker," he said.
President Diane Shields said she didn't disagree with preserving the preschool program if the $200,000 in cuts could be found somewhere else.
Treasurer Mike Barnett, who also sits on the finance committee, reiterated it was the committee's recommendation not to cut the program.
Assistant Superintendent for Operations Diane Block said preschool was on the list because it wasn't K-12.
"We didn't have a recommendation come back from finance committee to look for more (cuts)," she said. "At this point we need more direction of where to look because we're pretty much at the classroom door."
The board has been trying to look at cuts that do not affect the classroom or have an impact on classroom learning.
Instead of eliminating library instructional assistants at elementary schools, Stenz suggesting using part-time librarians until the transition to parent volunteers could be made. He was concerned it wouldn't give elementary principals enough time to prepare for the transition.
Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources Pat Sampier said that allowing the IAs to work part-time would be a $60,000 cut instead of $90,000. Library IAs currently work 1 hour and 45 minutes a week, per classroom and would be working 30 minutes a week per classroom, if they were to work part-time.
Shields was concerned about what the cuts would amount to if the board left preschool, part-time librarians and Plaza Pool in the budget.
Superintendent Brent Holcomb said if the entire board doesn't want to make the cuts, it was fine but suggested the board delegate an amount of cuts it would like to see made.
The finance committee's recommendation will be considered before the board opens it up for discussion and determines what direction board would like to take with the mid-year cuts.
The board of education will meet for its regular board meeting Monday at 5:30 p.m. in the Thunder Bay Junior High School cafetorium.
Crystal Nelson can be reached via e-mail at cnelson@thealpenanews.com or by phone at 358-5693.
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jaxspp
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11-20-09 12:25 PM
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Why not start with cutting the salaries of the Superintendent and the school board? Begin with 10% and see how that goes.
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