By Bob Strohm
bstrohm@wbcowqel.com

The Bucyrus City Schools Board of Education received Treasurer Ryan Cook’s five-year forecast for the school district Thursday night.

During his report to the board Cook outlined that with the biennium budget cycle ending there are some unknowns going forward. Cook said he hoped that the new budget info from the state would be out by July 1st.

“Right now I am hearing budget cuts are going to be 0 percent to 10 percent, but I am also hearing that education will remain unchanged,” Cook said.

Cook noted that the school might be into deficit spending in years four and five of the forecast, but it isn’t expected to be overwhelming. Cook reiterated that those years are contingent on how the budget from the state plays out.

Cook identified another problem area within the forecast as the loss of the student population. The treasurer pointed out that the number of enrolled students in Bucyrus City Schools is currently down to 1,400 students.

Cook added other costs that could be a factor include renovations on the track.

Cook concluded his report saying looking forward things are looking OK for the school, and that he will have to wait and see what comes out of Columbus for the fiscal years of 2019 and 2020.

The Bucyrus Backpack Program received a boost from the Elks Lodge #156. The Elks presented the program with a Beacon Grant totaling $2,000 at Thursday’s meeting.

While the board policy updates from NEOLA weren’t approved, Superintendent Kevin Kimmel highlighted a few of the changes which included language on texting and emailing between board members, evaluation of principals and administration members, that students in juvenile facilities receive education, the Epipen revised policy, and student fundraisers through crowd-funding means.

Chris Stone warned the Bucyrus Board of some of the pitfalls that go with crowd-funding noting that go fund me keeps a substantial portion of money raised. Stone encouraged the board to use extreme caution when organizing a crowdfunding venture.

All items on the agenda were approved which included numerous mini-grants awarded to teachers through the Bucyrus City Schools Foundation.