A review of the Webster County Board of Education's most recent budget appears to supply the justification for at least part of the proposed school consolidation plan.In our last article (see links to all prior school consolidation articles below), we left readers to ponder what financial reasons justify the closing of the Diana school (as well as questioning from an academic standpoint whether 7th and 8th graders should be sent to the high school). After a brief visit to the Board offices this morning, we received some answers to the concerns raised. This article will focus mainly on the financial condition of the Board.
For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2012, the Board had total revenues of $17,172.581.00 and total expenditures of $17,721,922.00, for an ending deficit of $549,341.00. Readers will recall from our last article that the closing of the Diana school will result in an average savings of $649,011.00. Although this savings may be in excess of what is needed to cover the $549,341.00 deficit, the excess will likely be consumed by the additional teachers that will be needed at the Webster Springs Elementary School due to the influx of the Diana students. The excess will also be needed to cover additional personnel and renovation costs should the part of the plan calling for the transfer of the 7th and 8th grade students also be approved.
In addition to running a $549,341.00 deficit in the past fiscal year, the Board's other assets and surpluses from prior years were not enough to cover the yearly deficit, leaving the Board with an ending funds balance of a negative $288,608.00.
According to sources with the Board, last year alone, the Board cut as many as 10 personnel posts in an effort to reduce costs. It is believed that further workforce reductions can not occur due to State law requiring certain numbers of personnel for the students. As such, other cost cutting measures short of closing the Diana school will not come close to covering the current and future deficits.
Regarding the total deficit of $549,341.00 discussed above, that figure includes special revenues and special expenditures which change from year to year. Excluding those special revenues and expenditures, the Board still experienced a deficit of $319,047.00.
Of the Board's $17,721,922.00 in expenditures during the last fiscal year, $9,165,967.00 was spent for salaries, including salaries for the Board members and the Superintendent, salaries for teachers and other service personnel, salaries for other professional personnel, and salaries paid for student work performed. The Board also expended $8,555,955.00 in non-salary expenditures, including $3,396.350.00 in itemized expenditures in excess of $250.00 each (as shown in the four photos below).
Here are the links to our prior articles on the school consolidation plan, in the order we printed them:
Board of Education expenditures (non-salary) over $250.00 each:
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