School board gets financial update
The Vandalia Board of Education last Tuesday approved the purchase of two Blue Bird buses from Central States Bus Sales at $80,440 per bus.
The company, headquartered in Fenton, Mo., also has an Illinois facility at Big Rock.
“This year, we needed to rotate out two buses,” said Superintendent Rich Well. “Even in trying times, we need to buy things to be safe.”
Well said that the old buses will continue to be used, but only on short routes.
In recent years, the board has decided not to buy buses that were scheduled for purchase because of the district’s difficult financial position.
Also at the monthly school board meeting, Well told board members that the district’s total fund balance now stands at $6.8 million, with just under $4.2 million in the four operating accounts over which the board has spending discretion.
Those balances are high this time of year, because the district this fall received both installments of the annual property tax revenues, and those funds have to last the district through the end of the fiscal year on June 30.
At this point, Well said that district officials expect that operating balance to fall to just under $2.2 million by the end of the fiscal year on June 30.
At the current time, the district has received 52 percent of its annual funding and has made 27 percent of its annual expenditures. In the four operating accounts, the district has received 43 percent of its annual funding and made 30 percent of its annual expenditures.
State revenues will continue to come to the district monthly, though those are being funded only at 71 percent of the 2011 rates for transportation monies and 88 percent of 2011 rates for General State Aid.
“If the state would just go 100 percent funding at 2011 levels, we could survive,” Well said.
The board also received a document from the district explaining what the tax levy for this year could be – based on the final figures on the equalized assessed valuation of property in the district. Four scenarios were provided: no change in taxable EAV, a 3 percent increase in EAV, a 5 percent increase in EAV and a 7 percent increase in EAV.
The levy will be voted on by the board at its meeting next month.
After the meeting, Well said he’s not anticipating much growth in EAV.
“We’ve had very little growth in the way of new houses or new buildings in the district,” Well said.
“Therefore, we’re not likely to have growth in the EAV. The reality is that it will probably be between no growth and 3 percent.
"Our average growth in recent years has been about 3 percent.”
The board held a planning retreat on Nov. 14. In his superintendent’s report, Well said that the board “met for several hours discussing possible cuts and revenue options for the 2014-2015 school year.” He said that the district could be facing a funding shortfall of about $1 million this school year. Also discussed were bullying issues, student discipline issues and the possibility of adding after-school educational options for students.
During the reports from building principals, several upcoming concerts and events were mentioned. Those will be on the district’s website and also will be listed in The Leader-Union’s calendar.
As the meeting concluded, the board took the following action:
• Approved Diane Smith as a volunteer girls basketball coach at VCHS.
• Approved Austin Wollerman as an assistant boys basketball coach at VCHS.
• Approved resignations, effective immediately, of David Koleson (Okaw Area Vocational Center welding instructor) and Levi Halford (Vandalia Junior High School aide).
• Approved two grant applications – one for a school energy efficiency grant and one for a school maintenance grant.
• Approved the dismissal of custodian Dick Lentz.
• Approved Elsie Sarchet as VJHS TLC aide (replacing Halford).