Hillsboro schools cut spending deficit
Although it will be by a smaller margin than anticipated, it is projected the Hillsboro City Schools will end the year with a spending deficit of approximately $250,000.
Board member Ken Shull reported during a board meeting March 17 that the earlier projections showed that the district would end the fiscal year with a spending deficit of $700,000.
"It wasn't as bad a year as we thought," Shull said, "but it's still a deficit. We cannot operate at a deficit forever."
"It's good news, but it's bad news," said board president Laura Bagshaw.
District treasurer Deborah Lawwell told the Highland County Press that numbers will not be final until the end of the fiscal year on June 30. The spending deficit was cut, she said, through a combination of decreases in spending and an increase in revenue.
"We won't know what the deficit will be until that (June 30)," Lawwell said. "We have seen an increase in revenue from what I projected. One of the increases is in income tax. I haven't seen the real estate taxes yet. The district as a whole has come together to cut expenses; therefore, we're also down on expenditures. We received a little more money, and we reviewed and cut some costs and watched our expenses this year. Hopefully, we'll come up with a better number than what I projected."
It was reported during the meeting that the district's cash balance at the end of February was $3,750,627.
"We actually have a cash balance, and what we're trying to cut out is deficit spending," Lawwell said. "We need to get out of the habit of deficit spending and not always spend more than we're bringing in. If we continue to spend, we're just going to bring our cash balance down. It's just not a good practice. We're always looking for ideas and looking on how to cut expenses and what we need to do to cut the bottom line."
Also during the meeting, the board met in executive session for more than an hour and a half to discuss negotiations and personnel issues of employment contracts.
When they entered back into regular session, the board voted to accept a tentative agreement with the Hillsboro Education Association, contingent on H.E.A approval.
"I feel that both of our unions realize the uncertainty of funding and the economic situation; therefore, there was no change to salary or benefits or any other contact language in either contract," Hillsboro Superintendent Art Reiber wrote in the board agenda.
"We did step increases, but no salary raises," Bagshaw said.
The board voted 4-0 to accept the contract, and Shull abstained from the vote.
The board also voted to approve improvements to the football field. Board member Bill Myers reported that the field "is in utter need of repair after the fall rains," and the improvement project will include fixing the drainage around the track to eliminate standing water, replanting grass and the application of a sand/soil mixture "from 25-yard line to 25-yard line."
"This could be an end-result solution," Myers said.
The project currently is anticipated to cost $16,123, but Myers said that figure may come down as the district investigates other prices of supplies. Myers said that the work on the field is dependent on the weather, but it is anticipated to be completed prior to June 1.
The board voted to approve the project, with a cap of $18,000 in cost.
Reiber reported that Zanesville City Schools has been added to the 2010 football season, and the district will help cover the cost of Hillsboro traveling there for the game, which is more than two hours away.
Athletic director Dave Dietrick said the Zanesville game will replace Blanchester on the schedule.
"Blanchester is part of the Southern Buckeye League, which is going through a league expansion," Dietrick said. "Since they were adding teams to the league, they no longer had a non-league game that week and had to drop us due to conflicts."
Dietrick said the change unfortunately gives Hillsboro six away games and four home games.
In other business, the board:
• Voted 5-0 to approve the firm Ennis, Roberts and Fischer Co., LPA of Cincinnati to represent the district in a lawsuit filed by one of the contractors of the middle school/high school. Anthill Construction Company filed a lien against the district in local courts. According to the board's agenda, "J. & H. (roofing) would eventually be responsible for any cost that we pay out for this suit. Their hourly fee ranges from $185 to $225 per hour. Non attorneys are at $100 per hour. Rich Cardwell (who) did all of our preparations for the bonds and levy preparation for our new building is now with this firm."
Reiber said Anthill was a subcontractor on a roofing project and "the work they did wasn't satisfactory to J & H. Because they are a subcontractor, they should have filed against J & H." Reiber said that the district should be reimbursed for all funds spent on the matter.
• Heard a presentation by the student council of Hillsboro Elementary. Five fifth grade officers were elected, and there is a representative from each grade level, with the representatives switching each term so more students have the opportunity to participate. The students spoke about fundraisers and service projects they have organized throughout the year, and the board and Reiber commended the students for their dedication to their school and community.
• Heard it reported that the Ohio High School Athletic Association voted 6-2 to deny the district's appeal regarding three forfeited boys basketball games. Reiber said that the district was unaware that a policy had changed regarding a student's athletic eligibility when the child's parents move into a district. Previously, he said, the student was automatically approved. Now it is required that a form be completed and returned to the OHAA for approval. Once the forms were filled out, Reiber said, the student was approved, but three basketball games played prior to the approval had to be forfeited as a result.
• Heard a presentation from Mark Bishop and Greg Becker of the Scioto Energy Alliance regarding energy bill savings. Becker said that since Ohio deregulated electrical service in 2001, consumers have the ability to shop around for service. The alliance acts as a brokerage for clients and analyzes and negotiates fees for service with the companies. During the presentation, it was said that by switching providers, over a 24 month period the district could see a savings of $43,000. Becker said the savings were not guaranteed, depending on many variables. The district has been approached by another brokerage firm offering similar services, and the board put the matter into the finance committee for review.
• Voted 5-0 to approve the use of the curriculum developed by the Ohio Department of Education for in-service training in the prevention of child abuse, violence, and substance abuse and the promotion of positive youth development.
• Voted 5-0 to approve the bid for solid structure canopies at the new middle school/high school. The total cost is $67,783, which is an estimated $12,000 under bid. The cost is shared with the Ohio Schools Facilities Commission, with the district paying 23 percent, which is $15,590.
• Voted to approve the amounts and rates as determined by the budget commission and authorizing the necessary tax levies and certifying them to the county auditor.
• Voted 5-0 to approve the following retirements: Fred Yochum; Kay McFadden.
• Voted 4-0, with Shull abstaining, to approve the following contracts: 2-year - Margie Free, special education director, Michelle Ross, federal program director, Kevin Black, technology director, Kathy Hoop, elementary school principal, Diane Michael, elementary director, Jacob Zink, elementary principal, Lew Ewry, elementary principal; 1-year contracts - Court Lilly, assistant high school principal; Jason Snively, middle school principal; supplemental contracts - Sarah Horsley, head coach high school girls track; Leslie Molen, assistant varsity track; Cheryl Knippen, middle school track; Robert Snavely, assistant boys track, Rodger Marsh, middle school boys track, Adam Marsh, middle school boys track, Shannon Robinson, volunteer track; Melissa March, assistant high school softball; James Brady, assistant high school softball; Jessica Bivens, assistant high school softball; Chuck Coleman, assistant high school baseball; Phil Loudin, volunteer assistant high school baseball; James Jones, elementary wrestling coordinator; sub certified - Anissa Simmons; sub classified - Richard Burns; volunteers - Terry Britton, Laura Catron, Billie Cummings, Bonnie Dragoo, Becky Ferrell, Patty Grice, Randy Hendrickson, Ron Hennison, Cheryl McGee, Pamela Newkirk, Jeffery Taylor, Teresa Williams, Terry Scot Williams, Amy Wise.
• Voted 4-0, with Shull abstaining, to approve Roger Zimmerman, for a one-year contract. According to Reiber, "This has nothing to do with performance, but is based solely upon the uncertainty of next year's financial situation and the fact that he is a retired-rehired employee. If the financial picture reflects a need for administrative cuts, there will be no need of a reduction in cuts."
• Voted 5-0 to approve the school calendar. Reiber said, "This calendar seems to be the best one, although we know that there is no perfect calendar for all." Reiber noted that the state of Ohio reduced the number of calamity days during the next school year from five to three. The calendar contains a spring break, but those days - March 28, 29, 30, 31 and April 1 - will be used as makeup days depending on the weather.
• Voted 5-0 to approve the open enrollment policy.
• It was announced that new bleacher modification will begin March 22.
• The 11-month walk-through for the new middle school/high school will be held June 30 from 9-11 a.m.