GCCS still trying to balance 2012 budget

Clark County

Discussion

February 22, 2012

By JEROD CLAPP Jerod.Clapp@newsandtribune.com The News and Tribune Wed Feb 22, 2012, 02:38 AM EST

CLARKSVILLE — A budget review for Greater Clark County Schools shows the district is closer to filling is funding gap for 2012, but still has a $455,000 shortfall.

Stephen Daeschner, superintendent, said it’s difficult to tell where the district will need to cut because some information from the state hasn’t come in regarding the effect of property tax caps on their capital projects fund — which supports building projects, maintenance and other projects.

“I don’t want to spend the time now with what we may have to do or not do because there’s one important, major piece of information out,” Daeschner said.

While the board suggested funding options for the administration such as selling off vacant properties and seeking Tax Increment Finance District funds, Daeschner said some of those just aren’t coming through.

In regards to TIF, he said there was a lot of money they could have gotten there.

“We’re not done with that, but it doesn’t look very encouraging,” Daeschner said. “And I wanted to note that was $150,000 we could get.”

He said selling properties for the district hasn’t brought much yet, either. He said one bid has come in on the old Corden Porter School building at about $200,000 over two years, but there was an expected $500,000 associated with that board directive.

Also, an agreement between the district and the Greater Clark Education Association hasn’t come through on using $500,000 from the non-reverting fund, which is used to pay for any serious medical claims filed by employees and is partially funded by employees.

However, his presentation also included solutions denied by the board and how much they could have saved, totaling $1,945,000 in 2012. Those decisions included custodial outsourcing, pool closures, expanding food services management through Aramark and the closure of Maple Elementary.

Daeschner said he expects the final effects of the state property tax caps to come in before the board’s March 20 meeting, where he said he should present some final numbers and solutions.

In other news at the meeting, the board heard more from Amy Schellenberg, executive director of educational services, on the feasibility of expanding a program like Charlestown Middle School’s One to One program across the district.

The program replaces textbooks with computers, giving students access to online resources. She said details on student equipment and wireless infrastructure at some of the schools are still being worked out, but more information should be on the way at the board’s March 6 meeting with a recommendation on which direction to move.

The board also approved video displays at Charlestown High School. The displays are already installed and paid for, but the booster club for athletic programs at the school, Pirate Pride, paid for them in full and gifted them to the district. The measure passed 5-0. Kevin Satterly and Jerry White, board members, were not present.