By Bob Strohm
bstrohm@wbcowqel.com
In an effort to balance the school’s budget, the Crestline Board of Education approved budget cuts Thursday night.
While the cuts won’t take effect until next school year, the school will see the retirement of an art teacher as well as the reduction of the music instructor from a full time position to a half time position. Also cut will be the positions of in-school suspension aide, a custodian, and a cook. The school will also move the preschool to the K-12 school building, reduce five extended days for library aides, and a one-percent office administration salary giveback to the school district.
Students voiced their worry that the reductions would eliminate music and art altogether; however Superintendent Noreen Mullins reassured the students that the school would still be offering band and art to the students.
“We have two full time music teachers, right now, and we will be going to one and a half,” Mullins said.
While the school will have to wait until the bumping is complete Mullins stated that the school is expected to save $350,000 due to the cuts. However, the school still needs the passage of the operational levy to balance the its budget.
“With the levy and these cuts we will balance the budget. These cuts alone won’t balance the budget,” Mullins said.
Mullins explained that no other cuts will be made going into the next fiscal year.
The Crestline Board of Education approved the two-year contracts for Elementary Principal Melisa Watters and High School Principal Paul Wheeler. Both Watters and Wheeler will maintain their current salaries.
In Treasurer Bradd Stevens’ report to the Board of Education Stevens noted that the school had higher expenditures than revenue for the month of February. However, with construction complete on the school those costs won’t affect the district’s finances.
“Overall, cash balance decreased slightly the past month. We refunded the State’s remaining share of what was remaining from the OFCC construction project,” Stevens said. “So construction won’t affect the district’s balances after this.”
“Overall we spent $562,000 more than we received last month. This is different than the previous February because last year our real estate settlement was paid in February,” Stevens continued. “I anticipate this month our revenues will be higher than our expenditures.”
The Crestline Board approved a five-year contract with NCOCC for $41,70.60 for internet service. Treasurer Stevens noted that the total is an e-rate, and that the school will get reimbursed 90 percent of the cost through federal funds.
The Board also approved a contract true-up-cost for MOESC for the 2014-2015 school year for the total of $167,328. The costs cover the positions of talented and gifted coordinator, special education consultant, substitute credential list, school psychologist, and occupational therapist. Superintendent Mullins noted that all the positions are part time.
The Board approved donations of $100 from the city of Crestline to the Royal Blue Express, as well as rubber mats donated by Steve Kurtzman for use in the school’s weight room.
Prior to adjourning to executive session, the Crestline Board of Education agreed to move the April meeting back one week to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 8.