Enumclaw budget is similar to last year's
The Courier-Herald
Enumclaw School Board president Lorianne Taff praised the district administration for its ability to maintain programs and avoid layoffs during lean times.
“I'm extremely grateful to the leadership we've had,” she said during a public hearing Aug. 21, conducted during a regular meeting of the board. With three of its five members present, the board approved the $37.5 million budget.
At the meeting, district Business Manager Tim Madden explained the budget is a financial plan with a maximum amount of expenditure. It covers the period from Sept. 1 to Aug. 31. The 2006-07 budget, he explained, will not be much different than last year's budget. He outlined another year of declining enrollment and making adjustments to cover those losses.
The budget total is almost the same as last year, including the approximately $300,000 shortfall that, if it materializes, will be covered with reserves.
District leaders anticipate their 10th straight year of declining enrollment. They are predicting 4,335 students (full-time equivalent) to arrive today, Wednesday. Enumclaw recorded about 5,000 students in 1997-98 school year and last year registered 4,500. Despite the enrollment drop, staffing numbers remain almost the same as in 1998.
Madden pointed out staffing and educating students eats up most of the district's budget. The general fund pays for items like teachers, supplies, textbooks, classroom supplies, principals, nurses, transportation, food services, facility maintenance, the superintendent's office, communication and technology.
About 57 percent of the budget revenue comes from the state, another 16 percent from state special revenue and 5 percent from the federal government. Local levy money contributes about 19 percent.
The district will see new or increased revenue this year from an increase in I-728 money, a $37,000 fuel allocation from the state and a levy increase that figures to be about $350,000. The district is also carrying over about $800,000 in grants. The state will also cover $250,000 to cover a 3.3 percent salary increase.
The district will see new or increased expenditures of $258,000 to cover the unfunded portion of the salary increase; another approximately $809,000 (partially funded) to be spent on employee benefits; $74,000 in fuel increases, $38,000 in utility increases, another $116,000 in contractual obligations and $558,000 (partially funded) in I-728 money.
The district's reserves, or savings, are at about 5 percent of the budget.
Madden noted the district's debt is at $31 million and should be retired in 2015.
In its transportation fund, the district will be purchasing five new buses at an approximate total of $400,000. The district anticipates receiving about half that sum from the state in depreciation money and from its investment earnings.
There is little movement anticipated in the district's capital projects fund, which pays for school construction, remodeling and project management. The district is starting off with about $133,000 in the fund. The district will get about a $20,000 boost in that area through rental fees and leases for the Black Diamond Post Office and J.J. Smith Elementary and pick up another $5,000 in investment earnings. Administrators anticipate spending about $100,000 of that over the course of the year.
In other business, the board:
€ finally accepted the modernization work at Black Diamond Elementary School, ending a 6 1/2-year battle with the city of Black Diamond, the district and Porter Brothers Construction. The project, which was part of the 1997 bond issue approved by voters, started in 2000 and was almost complete in 2001, when a disagreement arose over nearby street work and water lines. A certificate of substantial completion was issued in 2002, but final completion did not arrive until recently.
€ set its meeting schedule for the 2006-07 school year. The next meeting is at 7 p.m. Sept. 18 at the board conference room.
€ honored Enumclaw High paraeducator Judy Bruggeman, who was named Public School Employee's Employee of the Year.
€ heard from parent William Field who made suggestions the district could use to promote the Individual Achievement program and also encouraged community members to come to the district's Sept. 7 focus group meeting.
€ approved the 2006-07 fee schedule for middle and high schools and lunch prices.
€ noted the school district's former campaign to read 10 million minutes is noted in a book called � Ways to Change the World.” It is available at the Lindon Bookstore.
€ accepted resignations from EHS teacher Cathleen Pedersen, Thunder Mountain teacher Julie Rust and Black Diamond teacher Constance Klie.
€ accepted leave requests for Kibler teachers Kelli McCann and Patricia Blackburn, both half time, and EHS teacher Eilene Stevens.
€ rehired EMS teachers Janice Kenney, Curtis Pritchard and Rebekah Cheney, and EHS teachers Tom Morrison and Mike Hausenfluck.
Brenda Sexton can be reached at bsexton@courierherald.com.
