OnlyTwo Show Up for $14.6 Million Bond Issue Hearing Only two members of the public showed up for public hearing Wednesday on the proposed $14.66 million general obligation bond issue to finance 20 energy-saving projects at the Lakeland Union High School.
The school board got only one question: whether construction activities would disrupt classroom learning.
One woman was assured that construction would take place only during non-school hours, i.e. after hours, weekends.
The district had placed a notice in the May 31st Lakeland Times announcing the hearing, which was required under guidelines for Act 32 funding sources. Act 32 is special legislation that allows school districts to exceed levy limits for debt service if the money pays for proven energy conservation through construction. The electorate now has 30 days from Wednesday in which to file a petition with sufficient signatures to have the district hold a referendum on the bond sale. If they don’t, then the school board can vote to authorize it.
The school board met after the public hearing, receiving the fourth draft of the 2016-17 budget prepared by Director of Business Services Greg Kopp. The preliminary budget document now shows a modest $6,450 operating surplus on a total budget of $13,878,896. The first draft had the district some $500,000 in the hole. But staff cuts and other measures reduced that to a $127,000 deficit, and now to a surplus. Kopp cautioned that figure could go up or down in coming weeks as revenues and expenses are ironed out. Factoring in the fourth draft were adding back four part-time hall monitors, health insurance premium increase of 1 percent (initially 6 percent), and a 1 percent one-time supplemental pay increase for all staff.
After a closed session, the board returned in open session to approve the 2016-17 salary agreement with the teachers union, Lakeland Union High School Educators Association. The agreement calls for a 0.12 percent increase (tied to the Consumer Price Index) in base wage for educators. Kopp earlier noted that amounted to an average of $66 per teacher. The support staff will also receive the 0.12% salary or wage increase.
In addition, the board approved a supplemental, one-time pay increase of 1.0 percent based on salary for all staff for next year. The board agreed to pay-for-performance bonuses for four teachers, with the total being $23,000 for next year. The board agreed to have the district move to the narrow network insurance coverage plan with staff contributing 10 percent of the total premium, with the option for staff to continue.
