School Board Finance Committee asks for revisions to proposed budget cuts PDF Print E-mail
Written by Janet Murphy   
Wednesday, 10 February 2010 16:42
At the Chilton School District Finance Committee meeting held February 8th, Co-chairs Larry Hedrich and Jerry Kolbe recommended changes to the program cuts and fee increases outlined by Superintendent Dr. Claire Martin at the January Regular Board meeting, including restoring freshman sports to the budget and proposing a capped fee structure of $45/year for athletics plus other co-curricular activities, or $20/year for non-athletic activities only.

To the gathering of 90-plus community members, School Board Members and Administrative Staff, Athletic Director Dave Sonnabend listed several recommendations to reduce expenses and increase revenue to preserve the freshman sports programs that were to be cut.  The recommendations included:  changing the Cheer and Dance/Pom teams to “Club” status, like the Ski Club, since they are not WIAA sports; discontinuing the swim practice bus; and charging admission for freshman volleyball and basketball events, as well as Junior Varsity and Varsity softball and baseball games.  Sonnabend predicted that these changes would result in a savings of more than $17,500, which would cover the costs of freshman sports.       

Sonnabend listed concerns with the elimination of freshman sports including the reduced amount of playing time, and therefore interest, that freshmen would have if trying to play up to the JV level, adding that this would reduce revenue collected through athletic fees.  Sonnabend said that if the Board decides that fees are necessary, then he would like a flat fee that would cover all sports for the year, and the fee should be applied to all co-curricular activities that are offered.      

Former Coach and Athletic Director of 27 years John Freidel echoed his support for freshman sports saying, “You just can’t take away the beginning years and expect that starting in sophomore year these kids are going to be as well along as Brillion, Wrightstown, Valders or anybody else.  So, to me, taking away freshman sports is just impossible.”  

Margaret Richman expressed her concern about the costs involved with paper mailings sent to parents when electronic copies could be forwarded to parents with e-mail addresses, which she estimated at 55-60%.        

Referring to the 3.6% wage increase that teachers received this year, Sandy Weber wondered why the Board approved this increase in light of the impending financial difficulties.  Weber said, “If we were all working together as a team, and the teachers are a big part of the team, why would they not agree to take a wage freeze themselves.”    

Martin addressed concerns raised about administrative costs saying, “No matter how many administrators we restructure or potentially eliminate, we will be back at this.”  Martin said, “We have a funding formula that’s not working anymore for the schools of Wisconsin, and until that changes, or until the community decides that we have pared ourselves down to the limit that we feel is acceptable for the quality of education that we want to provide our children and go to referendum, we will continue to be back here.”

Hedrich said that an additional savings of $10,000 in budgeted Board expenses and possible insurance cost savings for administrators, along with savings generated using recommendations put forth by Sonnabend, would leave a budget shortfall of less than $15,000.  Hedrich believes this amount will be further reduced, and could be covered by money remaining in the fund balance if necessary.  

Martin said that she would take the comments and recommendations made during the listening session into account, and work with Business Manager Lisa Lau to create revised budget recommendations to present at the February 22nd Regular Board meeting.  

In closing, Hedrich said, “We have to pay attention not just at the local level, but at the state level and the national level and make our voices heard that you can’t keep passing mandates and shoving it down the line for someone else to pay.”  Hedrich referred to laws recently passed that affect how the Board negotiates contracts, including the condition that if an agreement can’t be met, an arbitrator is brought in who cannot take into account local economic conditions.  

A recording of this meeting will be broadcast on public access channel 98.
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