Kansasville School faces budget deficit

By Dave Fidlin

Correspondent

In a scenario reminiscent of a year ago, leaders within the Kansasville Grade School district are facing a budgetary shortfall as the 2014-15 school year gets underway.

At a School Board meeting Aug. 18, District Administrator Matt Stratton revealed Kansasville’s budget is between $25,000 and $40,000 in the red. A number of steps – including dipping into reserve dollars in the fund balance – could be taken to shore up the gap.

Stratton attributed several reasons for the shortfall, including building maintenance and ever-increasing health insurance rates. This year, the K-8 district was faced with the prospect of replacing aging windows and doors.

In terms of insurance, Stratton said the district has been heavily affected by the amount it pays into employees’ family coverage. Within the past year, he said he has sought bids three times, and the rates did not come in any lower in any of the three scenarios.

“We have been diligent,” Stratton said. “We just haven’t been successful.”

There has been a proposal to pool Kansasville’s insurance coverage with Union Grove High School, but School Board President Robert Kordus said rates would remain high under that scenario as well.

“We’re actually still doing better by staying in our small environment, rather than if we were to go into their large environment,” Kordus said.

Kordus and Stratton asserted Kansasville’s insurance rates are lower than those in the surrounding districts.

In other recent business, the Kansasville Grade School Board:

• Discussed an upcoming PTO-sponsored event, S’mores and More, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19, at Shelter No. 2 within the Richard Bong Recreational Area, 26313 Burlington Road.

• Heard a report from Stratton on a contractual relationship with the Robert W. Baird Co. The firm is working with the district to forecast future enrollment trends.

• Heard a report from Stratton on a recent sale of electronic Smart Boards. The devices, which were considered surplus equipment, were sold on Craigslist, and the proceeds will go into the district’s budget.