With the State of Illinois behind on payments to schools, some area districts are facing crippling budget woes. Though the Illinois government owes Geneseo more than $580,000 in general state aid, the district is in better shape than most.
“We’ve positioned ourselves to be able to weather this,” said superintendent Scott Kuffel.
“For the past three years, our expenditures have been under our revenue,” he explained.
Currently, the district has approximately six months of cash-on-hand.
“We didn’t get to this point by being reckless nor by being so cheap we didn’t improve our programs,” he said.
In anticipation of passing a fiscal year 2011 budget later this spring, Kuffel shared three budget options with the board at its Feb. 11 meeting.
In Option A, the board would maintain its current spending level. Option B calls for a 4 percent reduction in spending with Option C requiring a 6 percent reduction. Each option would leave the district in the black, but could reduce the district’s cash-on-hand.
“Option A would not be prudent on our part. We can’t afford to do the same thing this year as next year,” said Kuffel. Option A places the district’s budget expenses at $21.6 million.
Budgeted expenses under Option B would come in at $20.8 million and under Option C they’d be at $20.4 million.
Kuffel created the budget options anticipating the district only receiving two of its four transportation payments from the state, though there’s a slight possibility more money could be received should the state make an additional payment.
“Our best option would be somewhere between B and C,” said Kuffel.
“It’s not wise to be draconian,” he said, adding reductions could come from items such as retirements, delays in scheduled textbook replacement and close monitoring of supply costs.
“We’ll be as creative, collaborative and crafty as possible,” said Kuffel.
“In other words, we’re going to make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear,” said school board member John Puentes.
At the Feb. 11 meeting, the school board also:
• Approved going outside the normal bidding process for an emergency dishwasher replacement. The dishwasher at Geneseo High School is “beyond repair,” said director of operations Jack Schlindwein.
The dishwasher is the school’s original 1954 machine. “I think we got our money out of it” said Schlindwein. Until it’s replaced, paper products are being used in the high school cafeteria.
Though the district won’t go through a formal bidding process to replace the dishwasher, Schlindwein said he will solicit multiple quotes for a replacement.
• Learned the district’s “no contact” days for the summer of 2010 have been set for July 19-30 for fine arts and July 4-11 and Aug. 1-8 for athletics.
• Voted to approve a resolution supporting the “Geneseo Vision 2020” MAPPING project.
• Moved the time of the board’s April 8 meeting from 7 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Geneseo, Ill. —
