SD5 trustees get first look at budgets
Kalispell school trustees had a full plate Monday night - preliminary budgets, next year's calendar, reshaping the vocational-technical program and a middle school design report were just part of the menu.
District Clerk Todd Watkins drew up the first budget projections for both the elementary district and the high school district, giving the school board some working numbers as they plan for a new high school and an expanded middle school to open in Fall 2007.
In what he called his best guess at what the schools will need next year, Watkins brought the elementary district to 100 percent of its budget cap and the high school to 96 percent of its cap.
With no new operating levy last year, the elementary general fund for 2005-2006 was estimated to be just over $12.18 million. It would call for the school to ask for $79,900 over the base levy, which translates into $6.66 a year in new taxes for a $100,000 house.
The high school, which is in a better financial position than the elementary school, is set at just under $13.76 million. Under that proposal, the school would ask for $355,900 over the base levy. Cost on a $100,000 home would be $14.35 a year in new taxes.
Voters will decide on these or similar numbers in the May 3 school election.
The tough part of making such projections is the number of unknowns - such as rising energy costs and union contracts that have not been settled - and the impact they could have on final numbers.
Watkins said he factored in Gov. Brian Schweitzer's proposed $80 million one-time funding for schools, most of which will go to elementary schools which are financially strapped statewide.
As plans progress for the new high school, revamped Flathead High and the middle school, a team of trustees, staff and administrators will fine-tune what it will take to duplicate programs and offer a full curriculum. Their work should be finished sometime this fall.
For the coming fiscal year, however, Watkins said he kept budget numbers to the basics of retaining programs and staff.
In other business:
. Another ballot planned for May 3 - to elect school board members - may be canceled.
Only the incumbents filed for reelection by the nomination deadline: Eve Dixon and Brad Walterskirchen in the elementary district, and Tony Dawson and Keith Regier in the high school district.
If nobody else sparks a contest by filing for write-in status by April 7, the four current trustees will retain their positions.
. The school board backed Superintendent Darlene Schottle's recommendation to bring in an outside consultant to help redesign the vocational-technical program to work with two high schools and a middle school, as well as the community college.
Trustees approved contracting with Dick Withycombe, of Portland, Ore., to bring in a fresh perspective and give them an overview of what is working well in vocational programs nationwide.
"We are more concerned about the continuity of our curriculum, which choices to offer at which school and how this plays into Flathead Valley Community College," Schottle said. Withycombe's expertise was said to be better suited to these needs than that of two other candidates.
With the college in the midst of its own redesign, and from previous conversations between the schools, Schottle is confident they can share consulting costs and benefits.
Withycombe's fees range from $700 to $1,000 a day, plus expenses; total budget is $10,000.
He already has background on Kalispell's strengths and needs, and will be in town April 13 to begin working with a task force.
. Trustees adopted a school calendar for next year. Classes begin Aug. 31, with teacher in-service on the two prior days. Thanksgiving break is Nov. 23-27, Christmas break is Dec. 23-Jan. 1, spring break is March 25-April 2, and the last day of school is June 9.
A full calendar can be viewed at the central administration office.
. Wells Fargo Bank gave $675 to the high school district and $675 to the elementary district. Proceeds were dedicated from savings account start-ups for children. The schools will use the money directly for students, for such things as backpacks, winter jackets and field trip expenses.
Reporter Nancy Kimball can be reached at 758-4483 or by e-mail at nkimball@dailyinterlake.com