GFW board approves budgets

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

FAIRFAX -- The Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop School Board approved fiscal year 2003 and 2004 general fund budgets Monday night.

With declining enrollment, the district would reduce staff by 2.83 FTE in fiscal year 2003. Staff reduction was achieved by attrition.

The 2003 general fund revenue projection is $7,367,095. The figure increased slightly from last spring due to special education cost reimbursement, federal flow-through money and Title 1 Program funding increases.

The fiscal year 2003 general fund expense budget is $8,119,964. The figure includes a $690,000 energy efficiency loan payoff. Expenses increased due to out-of-district court placements, additional interest from the energy efficiency loan payoff, boiler repairs, heating costs and special education program requirements.

Advance placement classes in biology, psychology, calculus and English will be added to the high school curriculum, enabling students to get simultaneous high school and college credit.

Due to federal requirements, the district will add a certified special education staff position. Most of the salary and benefit expense will be reimbursed through the special education formula two years after it is incurred (fiscal year 2006).

The projected fiscal year 2002 ending general fund balance is $443,879.

The fiscal year 2004 general fund revenue budget of $7,505,434 was approved. Revenue is projected to increase over fiscal year 2003 due to a referendum approved in 2002. Assumptions used to develop the general fund budget were an enrollment decline of 25 students, additional special education costs, out of court placement costs incurred during fiscal year 2003 that will recur and a state general education formula allowance freeze.

Cost-saving measures included reducing a bus and shuttle bus route. Superintendent Stephen Malone's recommendations are facility and equipment priorities. Health and safety funding will be utilized as permissible.

Malone said elementary gym ventilation and middle school lunchroom projects are now underway.

The board also approved:

* Authorizing bids for an 86-passenger bus and a seven-passenger mini-van. Estimated bus cost with trade is $65,000-$70,000. Money will come from the fiscal year 2004 budget.

The larger bus is recommended to enable elimination of a shuttle route at an annual savings of $5,500. The additional cost of an 86-passenger bus -- compared to a 77-passenger bus -- is about $8,000.

The bids should be due in the district office by 1 p.m., June 25 and be considered at the June 30 board meeting.

Proposals for leasing a 29-passenger special education bus will be reviewed by the administration. A lease could be funded with federal special education flow-through money so there would be no cost to the district.

* Designating the Facilities Management Contract fee to be the lesser of $55,600 plus the salary and benefit total package percentage negotiated by Local 284 for July 1, 2002 to June 30, 2003 or $58,106.

Malone said the facility management contract with Dashir Management reduced GFW's cleaning and maintenance expenses by $9,108 compared to fiscal year 2000. The district saved $16,574 in fiscal year 2002 compared with fiscal year 2000.

The analysis includes cleaning supplies, repair/maintenance supplies, contracted services from outside vendors, facilities management costs and health and safety revenues.

The management contract states that annual cost will increase by the same salary and benefit total package percentage as negotiated by the GFW classified employees exclusive bargaining representative or by other means as shall be mutually agreeable to both parties.

The Local 284 agreement for next year has not been settled. Dashir owner Dave Nelson agreed to a maximum contract increase in fiscal year 2004 of 4.5 percent.