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Poland BOE to decide on levy
POLAND
The Poland Board of Education is expected to decide Monday whether to place a levy before voters in November.
The board has not specified a millage or annual amount of dollars to be generated, but will have that information for Monday’s decision. In a straw poll this week, the board decided to place a levy before voters in November, with one board member, Robert Shovlin, disagreeing and saying a levy should appear on the May 2013 ballot, so the board has more time to develop a comprehensive plan.
Shovlin pointed out that parents of Poland students already are doling out money for athletics and marching band and might resist a new levy.
“If someone has a kid playing sports and they’re paying $600, do you think those people will approve a levy?” Shovlin asked.
Board members agreed that they will need to present a comprehensive business plan that takes into account all options, from open enrollment to closing a school.
“We need a bigger picture — a business plan that we put together. ...We need to put a dollar amount to every step of the plan,” said board member Jim Lavorini.
Treasurer Donald Stanovcak said the district is running a spending deficit between $1.3 million and $1.5 million. He will present an updated five-year forecast at the Monday meeting.
If a new levy were approved, among tentative options discussed, were bringing back a physical education teacher in K-4 buildings, elementary guidance counselors and K-12 academic tutors.
Open enrollment information provided earlier this year projected that if 47 students open-enrolled in kindergarten, it would equate to a $3.5 million increase in revenue after 12 years and each following year.
“It’s a very touchy subject and we should ... have a public forum solely about open enrollment,” said board member Richard Weaver.
The board would have to make a decision about open enrollment by early 2013 in order for students to open enroll for the 2013-2014 school year. The board decided to table the topic until a public forum in September. Also at that September forum, board members want to discuss closing a school in five years. If the district does not replace two retiring teachers each year for the next five years and enrollments continue to decline as projected, then the district could close an elementary school in five years.
The board also discussed fees for all extracurricular activities and decided to keep things as-is.