The District is proposing the following to make up for the budget shortfall:
· Furlough of 12 ½ teachers;
· Elimination of instrumental music, drivers education, reading recovery, media arts and other programs;
· Class size increases (a 28 student scenario being considered);
· Consolidation to one nurse and one librarian school-wide; and
· Property tax increase of 1.9 mils.
The District was aware that the federal stimulus money would no longer be available and that state funding would be affected.
Knowing this, the District recently spent $50,000 on new accounting software and hired an assistant for Sroka at a salary of $45,000 (the previous accounting coordinator made $32,000 per year).
Total compensation paid to the Business Office - $153,831:
· Sroka - $82,411
· Accounting Coordinator - $45,000.
· Accounts Payable Clerk - $26,420
Former Business Manager, Emma Dantry, handled the duties of the Business Office and Board Secretary with NO assistants. The Accounting Coordinator and Accounts Payable Clerk positions were created during Sroka's employment.
The Prosoft accounting software is replacing Pentamation/Sungard software that was approved for purchase in the 2008/2009 budget at a cost of $65,000.
Although Sroka stated that the SunGard software is too cumbersome and difficult to work with as the reason for replacing the software, he lists both the current software (Pentamation/Sungard) and pre-2008 software (Munis) under his list of skills on his resume.
An email was sent to every member of the board requesting the board to address these issues before voting to purchase new software:
Current Software:
o Who recommended the software currently in use?
o Was it thoroughly researched?
o Were recommendations from other school districts sought?
o Why was it purchased? Was the software it replaced also difficult for the Business Office to work with?
Proposed Software:
o Who is providing the new software?
o Has it been thoroughly researched?
o Were recommendations from other school districts sought?
o What assurances do you have that it will be user friendly for the business office?
o Is there some type of clause in the contract to allow for cancellation and reimbursement if it proves to be too difficult for the business office to work with?
If the Proposed Software is Purchased:
o Will the school maintain a prior database to ensure no historical financial data is lost?
o Will the financial information be transferred in detail or will the business office start with fund balances only?
Board member Chris Lauff tried to address these issues at the February board meeting. Lauff suggested the board should wait to purchase the new software and include it in the 2011/2012 budget if necessary.
The remainder of the board opted to approve the purchase immediately.
The questions remained unanswered.
In addition, the District is planning to purchase an additional paper-folding machine for the Business Office.
The District already has a paper-folding machine located in the Guidance Office.
Cost to taxpayers - $2000.
Meeting roundup: Fort Cherry & Washington school boards
Fort Cherry School Board
• Date: Feb. 28
• Action: The board bought ProSoft, a business office software, for $50,000.
The board approved a three-year contract extension with Cypher & Cypher. The auditors will be paid roughly $16,000 a year.
The board hired Jessica Drylic as accounting coordinator at an annual salary of $45,000.
The board approved the Western Area Career and Technology proposed budget totaling $5,785,592.
The board approved the 2011-12 Intermediate Unit 1 budget of $2,047,662.
• Discussion: Eight people spoke about concerns about air quality at the school campus because of nearby gas well drilling. Superintendent Robert Dinnen said he would work with the PTA to create an ad hoc committee about the drilling. The committee will talk about what the district can and cannot do about the drilling based on township ordinances and state Department of Environmental Protection regulations.
• Next meeting: 7:30 p.m. March 21 in the elementary center library
