L’view board gets district finances update

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

The Lincolnview Local Board of Education received a financial update from Treasurer Troy Bowersock and also honored longtime district employee Jan Kimmey, who is retiring after 22 years of service to the district.

Bowersock had some good and bad news in his tentative revenue-expenditure projection for fiscal year 2012. The bad news includes his projection that overall revenues will decrease approximately $600,000 for the year, with $200,000 to $300,000 of that decrease coming from lower school foundation funding in the coming year. With Starr’s Van Wert campus closing, tuition payments will be lower, while personal property tax offset payments will decrease from $168,500 in FY 2011 to $51,000 this year. Offset revenues will erode even further in the following two years, with only $5,100 expected in FY 2013, and no offset funding the year after that.

The treasurer, who provided board members with pages of information to support of his projections, said investment income will also likely decrease again in FY 2012, and gave his opinion that it would be some time before interest rates climb significantly.

“These are the items that contribute drastically to our revenue decrease,” Bowersock told board members.

There were some positives in the coming year, including a one-time funding payment of $188,000 for General Fund operations, but the treasurer cautioned that the funds would be received for just one year.

Personnel costs have some positives, Bowersock said, especially with staff members agreeing to a salary freeze this school year, as well as a decision to cut the district’s full-time substitute teacher’s position. Some personnel cost reductions also were seen with the difference between the salaries of teachers who retired this past year and new teachers hired to replace them.

Some future good financial news is on the horizon as well, with a partial year of revenues from the wind turbines being installed in the county received in FY 2013.

Superintendent Doug Fries presented a plaque to Kimmey and commended her for her service to the district over the past two decades.

Board member Eric Germann, the district legislative liaison, gave the board an update on House Bill 191.  The legislation, if adopted by the Ohio General Assembly, would limit schools from holding school activities — including athletic and other extra-curricular events — before Labor Day and after Memorial Day, but would change the way school days are determined, moving to hours, rather than days, and allowing school districts to lengthen school days to make up days missed due to inclement weather, rather than have to schedule an extra day of classes. However, the bill would do away with the current system of calamity days.

Germann pointed out that, if the bill was in effect now, local school bands could not participate in the band or cheerleader shows at the Van Wert County Fair, which is being held this year prior to Labor Day.

Most board members said they feel the bill has little chance of passage, but Germann said he would be keeping an eye on the measure.

He also told colleagues that he would be attending a budget analysis seminar today that would provide a better picture of the future state school funding model.

In other action, the board:

• Renewed membership with the Equity and Adequacy Coalition for the 2011-2012 school year.
• Approved a transportation contract with Christopher Shane Woods and Linda A. Homan for the current school year.
• Approved a FY 2012 contract with the Western Buckeye Educational Service Center.
• Approved an application for the National School Lunch and Breakfast Program and Government Food Program for the coming school year.
• Authorized 4-K Tire Inc. of Delphos to supply tires for buses, the school van, the band truck and a trailer for the 2011-2012 school year.
• Approved advancement on the pay scale for the following: Jay Hoersten, from bachelor’s plus 150 hours to master’s degree; Ed Brazen, master’s to master’s plus 15 hours.
• Accepted, with thanks, a donation of $2,110 from the Lincolnview Athletic Boosters to purchase new weights for the weight room.
• Granted Dwight High a one-year limited classified contract as a bus driver, pending completion of all requirements.
• Approved the list of classified and certified substitutes.
• Approved an additional list of open enrollment students for the coming school year.
• Approved elementary workbook bills and class fees.
• Approved district bus routes for the coming year.
• Authorized investing inactive funds totaling $1,164,301.91 with First Federal Savings & Loan Association for an 18-month period ending September 29, 2012.
• Approved liability, fleet and property insurance coverage with Phelan Insurance Agency Inc. (underwritten by Ohio Casualty) with an annual premium of $29,414.

The next meeting of the Lincolnview Local Board of Education will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, September 27, in the district conference room.