Lakeview OKs levy-failure plan

The pay-to-play program would bring in about $50,000.

By ERIC GROSSO

VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT

CORTLAND — After passing $500,000 in cuts earlier this month, an additional $400,000 in cuts could be coming to the district if a 7.5-mill levy does not pass in March.

The Lakeview Board of Education unanimously passed a “budget reduction and revenue enhancement plan” that would take effect if the levy does not pass.

The potential cuts in the plan would offset a $400,000 deficit the district could be facing in June 2009.

The plan calls for cutting six teachers, in addition to the five teachers and a curriculum director cut earlier this month. Superintendent Robert Wilson said the district may be able to cut only five additional teachers through the plan, but that won’t be known until the end of the year.

He hopes the cuts could be done through attrition, simply not replacing retired teachers. The six cuts though the plan would save the district $275,000.

The plan also calls for the implementation of pay-to-play sports and extra-curricular activities.

Lakeview Middle pupils would pay $100 per sport or a $200 maximum for multiple sports. Lakeview High pupils would pay $300 per sport or a $600 maximum.

Pupils taking part in extra-curricular activities would pay $25 to $50.

Wilson said the costs could lead to fewer participants, a heavier burden on parents, less competitive athletic teams, and would have “win/loss ramifications.”

The pay-to-play program would bring in about $50,000.

Wilson said the numbers are just preliminary and will be adjusted.

Another portion of the plan calls for transportation to be reduced to state minimums. The district would only provide busing for pupils in grades kindergarten though 8 that live more than two miles from school.

The district would not provide busing for students at Lakeview High. Wilson said cuts to busing would lower safety for pupils, result in longer bus rides, and add congestion to school parking lots. He also noted it could lower attendance rates.

Those cuts would save the district about $75,000.

Wilson said he hopes the plan won’t be used and the levy will pass. The levy in March would bring in $2 million annually and would cost a $100,000 homeowner about $260 a year.

“We’ve already lost some outstanding teachers and staff — I don’t want to see that happen again,” he said.

Included in the plan is continued exploration of other options to lessen the budget.

Board member Donna Zuga said the district should look at tuition for all-day kindergarten, the Camp Fitch program, cafeteria services, use of school nurses, secretarial support and the cost of utilities.

Earlier this month, the district saved $500,000 by cutting five teachers: two from Lakeview High, one from Lakeview Middle and two from Bazetta Elementary.

The district also made cuts to the Virtual Learning Lab at the high school along with eliminating business electives, in addition to cutting a media specialist and not replacing retiring curriculum director Delores Uber.