The school board of Kimball (Independent School District #739) met Wednesday night last week, April 18, to discuss and, ultimately, approve a list of cuts totaling $397,174 for the 2007-08 school year. Included among the cuts are five elementary school teaching positions, and reduction in music, P.E., and staff development. Official resolutions will be made at the board’s May 17 meeting, but all teachers being laid off have been notified. Those facing layoff (or reduction) are Mrs. Watrin, Mrs. Isaacson (reduction), Mr. Hesse, Mrs. Bauerly, Mr. Strand (reduction), Mrs. O’Brien (reduction), Mrs. Gustafson, Mrs. Ploof, Mrs. Wiser, and Mrs. Petty (reduction). The result of these and other cuts will be that the district will be closer to getting out of Statutory Operating Debt (SOD). Another result is that there will be two sections of each grade at the elementary school. Extra sections of classes at the high school will also be eliminated. These stringent cuts are dictated by the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE). Once the Kimball district went over the deficit limit set by the state, we went into SOD. A $32,000 oversight by the Kimball district now means that MDE controls our finances for up to eight years. The local district must come up with a yearly plan, subject to MDE approval, to get out of its financial hole. MDE sets the financial goals, the local district comes up with specific plans to meet them. Superintendent John Tritabaugh explained to the 18 audience members, primarily parents, that Kimball has two years to get out of SOD, then up to another two years to get out of debt and achieve a “0” balance. Kimball would have another four years to get an 8-percent positive fund balance. If Kimball does not comply with the MDE dictates, or deviates from the approved plan, the state can withhold even more funds. The approved cuts total nearly $400,000, which easily resolves the $32,000 excessive deficit, and puts us on our way to a positive fund balance. According to the MDE-approved plan, Kimball would need $310,000 in cuts next year. Another $150,000 in cuts are anticipated for the 2008-09 school year. These cuts could be mitigated, but not eliminated entirely, if the state comes up with better funding for the district. The board has not included “extra” state funding in these calculations. They’ve long since tired of empty promises. State legislators will make final funding decisions next month. Meanwhile, the district was forced to move forward with planned cuts. “We’re not done looking at this,” said board chair Jerome Kuechle. Adjustments can yet be made.
