USD 234 budget being built around block grant

USD 234 officials face some challenges and uncertainties as they plan the district's budget for the 2015-16 school year.

During the USD 234 Board of Education meeting Monday, Superintendent Bob Beckham informed board members about a recent budget workshop given by representatives of the Kansas State Department of Education. Beckham said he has been told by state education officials that districts will be building budgets around the block grant system the Kansas Legislature put in place this year.

A three-judge panel of the Shawnee County District Court, which has been hearing ongoing school finance cases, issued a ruling against the block grant system in late June, calling portions of it unconstitutional. The state immediately appealed the ruling to the Kansas Supreme Court, which stayed the lower court's ruling.

The block grant repeals the current school finance formula and replaces it with a block grant system while lawmakers attempt to devise a permanent school funding system. The two-year block grant cut district funding late in the fiscal year and essentially freezes the level of state operating funds available to schools.

"As we had suspected, we'll be using the block grant to build the budget," Beckham said. "(USD 234 Business Manager) Susan (Peery) is working feverishly to do that."

Beckham said he recently spoke with Dale Dennis, deputy commissioner for the Kansas State Board of Education, about planning under the block grants. He said state education officials are having trouble contemplating the effects of the current school finance situation.

"While it's under appeal, Dale said he doesn't feel it will get worse from that," Beckham said. "We may not know until fall what the final fate of all those rulings are."

Fiscal years for schools start July 1. USD 234 officials will move forward with building the 2015-16 budget but this year may feel a crunch as they work to complete the budget by August, when districts are required to publish budgets.

"I don't even have the budget document yet. The state hasn't sent it," Peery said.

The board approved setting a special meeting for noon Aug. 4 for a budget workshop to give board members a first look at the 2015-16 budget.

"This will give you a first glance at the budget," Beckham said. "It will be a big-time crunch."

Beckham said district officials plan to meet again with the board and Dennis to review the proposed budget.

Beckham said if Dennis "blesses" the proposed budget after reviewing it, the budget will come back to the board for consideration of approval of publication in the official newspaper during the board's regular Aug. 10 meeting. Then, a public hearing would be scheduled for Aug. 24, just barely in time for the budget to be sent to the county by Aug. 25.

In other business, the board:

* Approved the consent agenda which included bills and claims, the $1.6 million June payroll, a bond proceeds reconciliation document, designation of The Fort Scott Tribune as the newspaper for official school publications, officers for the 2015-16 school year, terms for Fort Scott Recreation Commission board members, a resolution for waiver of generally accepted accounting principles, a resolution for rescinding policy statements found in board minutes, a resolution to set times and dates for board meetings, establishing of a home rule, and a resolution for destruction of records.

The board also designated City State Bank for Fort Scott High School activity funds, Union State Bank for Fort Scott Middle School activity funds, UMB Bank for Winfield Scott and Eugene Ware activity funds and Landmark National Bank for the USD 234 district account.

* The board reorganized and elected current board president Jordan Witt to once again serve as president, and board vice-president Gary Billionis to continue in his position. The board also welcomed new member Vanessa Poyner, who sat in on her first official meeting. Poyner, who won the Position One seat in the April election, replaces former board member Justin Meeks.

"We all look forward to working with you," Witt said.

"I hope to learn a lot," Poyner said.

* Approved board member Jamie Armstrong to once again serve as hearing officer for suspensions and expulsions.

* Approved payment of invoices for B&R Insulation, Inc., for the last of the asbestos removal at Fort Scott High School, and for Hollis and Miller Architects, MKEC Engineering, Inc., and Nabholz Construction Services.

* In personnel matters for 2015-16, the board accepted the resignation of Jake Lattimer as middle school football coach, then approved the employment of Lattimer as a high school assistant football coach. The board also approved Sean Krokroskia as a high school head softball coach and the employment of Cliff Lyman as a middle school four-hour custodian.

* No action was taken following a 20-minute executive session to discuss nonelected personnel.