Rising costs dog schools

Warren voters were last asked to approve a new operating levy 10 years ago.
& lt;a href=mailto:denise_dick@vindy.com & gt;By DENISE DICK & lt;/a & gt;
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Although new buildings planned for the city school district should be more energy-efficient, the utility costs to operate them should be about the same as what the district is paying for the old buildings.
The district recommended this week the closing of McKinley Elementary at the end of this school year, the third school closing in two years. In making the recommendation, Superintendent Betty J. English cited a projected deficit of $4 million by fiscal year 2007 that would increase to $17 million by fiscal 2008.
The school board is expected to vote on the recommendation at a special meeting Monday.
School officials pointed to rising health-care, insurance and utility costs and a decrease in revenue as reasons for the projected deficit.
Not addressing the problem immediately isn't an option, English and board members say. Last year, the state informed the district that fiscal watch was a possibility without cuts.
Fiscal watch often precedes a fiscal emergency declaration, in which a state commission is appointed to oversee district finances.
"It looks to me like it will cost about the same, utilities-wise, to operate the six new buildings compared to what it costs for operating the buildings we currently have," said Jim Russo, executive director of business operations.
That doesn't take into account the possibility of increased electric or gas prices, which can't be predicted, he said.
Voters last year passed a bond issue to provide the roughly 20 percent local share for the $170 million project to build new schools. The Ohio School Facilities Commission is footing the majority of the costs.
New building plan
The plan is to build five new kindergarten-through-eighth-grade buildings and a new high school. Current school buildings would likely be demolished.
"The systems are more efficient, but you're also adding air conditioning," Russo said.
The square footage will be about the same in the new buildings as in district buildings now.
In fiscal 2000, district bills totaled $433,510 for gas, $650,913 for electric, $75,334 for telephone and $83,498 for water and sewer service.
Projected costs for fiscal 2004, based on the first several months of the year and anticipated costs for the remainder of the year, are $826,913 for gas, $805,056 for electric, $154,442 for telephone and $142,869 for water and sewer.
Russo attributed utility costs to rising rates. The company with which the district formerly contracted for phone service, which provided a discounted rate, has gotten out of the telephone-service business. The district had to change to a different provider and couldn't get discounted rates, Russo said.
Linda Metzendorf, board of education president, acknowledged that utility costs will continue to rise even in the new school buildings.
"That's a big concern," she said. "A lot of school districts have built buildings and can't afford to operate them."
New school buildings also have more technology and sometimes more square footage than older ones.
Niles' experience
Patrick N. Guliano, Niles schools superintendent, said his district saw an increase in utilities when it closed the former Edison Junior High School and opened its new middle school.
"It went up. There's no doubt about it," Guliano said.
But he added that the district also closed Garfield Elementary, and that whereas the new middle school houses grades six through eight, Edison accommodated only seventh- and eighth-graders.
The new buildings are designed to be more energy-efficient than older buildings, Guliano said.
"Hopefully, we can contain the budget to a degree and save money in staff reductions by building the K-through-eights," Metzendorf said.
She also reiterated that the new buildings are better-insulated and have better heating systems. McKinley Elementary was built in 1919.
Previous effort
The last time the city schools asked voters for additional operating money was in 1994, the board president said.
"We're trying to hold off as long as we can before going to the taxpayers for additional operating money," Metzendorf said. "We have to do everything we can do to cut and contain costs."
The school board approached the teachers union about reopening the contract for concessions to trim health-care costs, but the teachers union rejected that idea, she said. That would have saved about $1.5 million.
"We had to take it from somewhere," Metzendorf said.
denise_ & lt;a href=mailto:denise_dick@vindy.com & gt;denise_dick@vindy.com & lt;/a & gt;