McDonald school board takes steps to cut costs

By Mary Smith

The district will cut back on the number of cell phones it provides employees.

McDONALD — The board of education has approved cost-cutting policy changes, including taking a reduction in pay per meeting.

Board members this week approved reducing their pay from $125 to $100 per meeting for a maximum of 18 meetings a year.

Employees who have district-supplied and paid-for cell phones will now have to use their own cell phones, and the district will reimburse them on a quarterly basis for their use as a taxable benefit, Treasurer Brian Stidham said.

District cell phones will be provided only to the transportation department personnel and school-bus drivers for official use. An extra phone will be available for an additional bus used for trips.

District administrators and staff members who need to be accessible for district business may be eligible for a cell-phone allowance, with the amount to be determined by the board.

Staff members who will receive reimbursement for cell phones are: superintendent, $35; treasurer, $25; high school principal, $25; elementary principal, $25; head custodian, $40; and custodians, $30.

The expected savings can’t be determined until the district learns what its cell-phone carrier will charge for the reduced phone service. Cell-phones bills are reviewed individually to separate personal-call charges from work-related call charges.

The board also decided to turn the heat off at the district’s indoor pool and reduce the chemical levels used for an unspecified amount of time, since the pool is not used much at this time of the year. A performance audit done of the district by the Local Government Services office of the state suditor’s office noted that the district should evaluate the pool operation because it is an area where the district has a lot of expense, the treasurer said.

The district is in state fiscal emergency with a projected deficit of more than $2 million in 2010 and has received a $2 million loan from the state to cover expenses through June 30, 2010. An audit for 2007, 2008 and 2009 of the district’s finances by the state auditor’s office is ongoing.

A donation from former board member Dr. William T. Kunkel of $500 for the athletic fund was accepted by the board.