With the start of a new fiscal year July 1 for schools, two area districts are focusing their efforts on explaining their financial conditions to residents.
 
Administrators and school board members of the Lake Local School District have scheduled a press conference for Thursday to discuss an operating levy on the August ballot.
 
“It’s basically the kick-off for our levy campaign,” Jeff Carpenter, district treasurer, said of the press conference.
 
Lake voters will decide a 4.75-mill, continuing levy on the Aug. 2 ballot.
 
The board recently approved a revised five-year forecast that includes more than $1 million in spending cuts for the fiscal year.

Three teachers who recently retired won’t be replaced for the 2011-12 school year and the district will stop paying for overtime hours on Saturdays. A vacant van driver position also won’t be replaced.
 
The administration is estimating the district’s general fund will lose about $250,000 in the next fiscal year from the loss of tangible personal property taxes and another $40,000 in state funding that would have gone to the district’s permanent improvement fund.
 
The district also stands to lose about $130,000 in public utility tax revenues.
 
Board members are emphasizing the district hasn’t sought additional millage since 2006.
 
Any revenue from the levy would be used for operating expenses, Carpenter said, noting the levy request is unrelated to the construction of a new high school building to replace the building destroyed by a June 2010 tornado.
 
B-C-S plans for levy
The Benton-Carroll-Salem school board plans to discuss the impact of a 3.9-mill, 5-year emergency property tax levy on the August ballot in the July edition of The Sampler, the district newsletter.
 
Board members and Superintendent Diane Kershaw are weighing scenarios for possible further consolidation of district buildings as they digest the effects of the state budget on the district as well as the effects of the upcoming levy.
 
“There has been little change to the district facilities structure since the three townships merged and the high school was built,” Rick Bast, board president, said after the June board meeting. “That changed this year with the closing of Rocky Ridge. We continue to look at future consolidations to reduce costs but not jeopardize our excellent academic program.”
 
Kershaw said the administration is completing potential “restructuring scenarios” for the board’s consideration. After a review by the board, the most “viable” scenarios will be shared with the public.
 
“B-C-S district residents should especially read the mid-July issue of The Sampler, which will update the public on the future directions being considered by the board.”
 
Without additional revenue this year, the options being considered by the board include closing Graytown and Carroll elementary schools and moving the fourth grade to the middle school and eighth grade to the high school for the 2012-13 school year. The seventh grade would be moved to the high school in the 2013-14 school year.

If passed, the levy would generate about $1.32 million annually. 

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