Story originally printed in the Vernon Broadcaster or online at www.vernonbroadcaster.com
Published - Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Viroqua district settles on preliminary ’08-’09 budget
The Viroqua School Board met on Monday, June 16, and approved a preliminary budget for the 2008-09 school year by a 5-2 vote.
If the budget passes as it stands now, the total tax levy will go up by 6.12 percent from $4.31 million to $5.32 million or by a total of $264,000. But increases in property values will make the mill rate go down from $8.67 per $1,000 or equalized value to $8.60. That will result in paying $7 less in property taxes on a $100,000 home.
Viroqua District Admin-istrator Robert Knadle said the numbers are very preliminary and based on some estimates, but the budget needed to move forward so it is ready for the district's annual meeting on July 21. The final budget won't be completed until the end of October.
"We know the numbers will change between now and the annual meeting, but we made our best estimate," said Knadle.
Knadle said the district was able to get an AODA grant that it didn't think it would get this year, which gave it another $40,000 in revenue. Knadle said the district has decided to increase the amount budgeted for fuel by 37 percent, or $45,000. The district got approval from voters in 2004 to allocate an additional $250,000 for maintenance each year for five years.
District business manager Sandy Jacobson said the budget is very preliminary and is based on assumptions. Jacobson said the budget assumes a 25-student drop in enrollment and a 7 percent increase in property values. Last year enrollment fell by 20 students and a 7 percent rate of growth has been the average the last several years.
Jacobson said there are a few proposed cuts to make the budget balance, including a number coaching positions. Cuts include the girls golf program, which only had four participants last year. Jacobson there may be more participants interested in the program next year, so the board will have to make the final decision on whether to include the cut.
Other coaching cuts include a wrestling coach, a softball coach, a middle school baseball coach, a middle school softball coach and two football coaches. Additional cuts are planned in hockey ice time and one track position will be added. Jacobson said if all the cuts stay in the proposed budget, the total savings to the district amounts to about $27,000.
Jacobson said the budget has been difficult to balance because the 2 percent tax levy limit does not keep pace with other fixed cost increases. Jacobson said wages often increase more than 2 percent and this year wages increased $150,000 more than the 2 percent increase leaving the district to find the savings elsewhere.
The proposed budget also includes a $100,000 line item for a "community service fund" that will be used to pay for Bigley Pool operating expenses. Jacobson said revenues from the pool are not likely to make up that expenditure and the board will decide if it wants to leave the line item in the budget or close the pool. The pool is currently operating on a temporary agreement with the La Crosse YMCA. Knadle has been negotiating with the organization on a possible long-term agreement to keep the pool open year round.
In other action, the board:
-- Approved a resolution to dissolve its agreement with the Westby School District to share a food service director.
Marilyn Volden served as food service director for both the Viroqua and Westby districts for the past two years. In years prior to that, Volden worked for the Viroqua district for eight years. Knadle said it was a mutual decision to dissolve the agreement.
"We decided we need more than two-and-a-half days to meet our requirements and state requirements," said Knadle. "Therefore we decided to dissolve our agreement."
Knadle said the Westby district made the same decision and will fill the position for their district however it sees fit. The Viroqua board hired Volden to work for the Viroqua district at 70 percent for 200 days.
"Marilynn retired from the Westby district and she will work about three-and-a-half days a week for us," said Knadle. "And we are very pleased to have Marilyn. She has done a very good job for us."
-- Knadle reported the synthetic rubber surfacing will begin to be applied to the new track beginning, Monday, June 23.
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