Minooka High details deficit reduction plan

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Updated: April 1, 2012 8:03AM

MINOOKA — Though Minooka High School’s plan to reduce a $2 million deficit requires cuts to employees, supplies and services, the goal is to not affect the students.

“(The reductions have) an extremely minimal impact on the kids and that’s our goal,” Superintendent Jim Colyott said.

The basic reduction plan was announced after last week’s closed meeting after the board worked out details.

Staff and administrators spent a good part of January finding ways to cut spending and create a new, sustainable financial culture in the district.

Their focus was to find solutions while minimizing impact on learning, services or opportunities for students.

The recommendations resulted in a $2.1 million reduction plan that will be sustained for at least two years.

The board took action after projections by PMA Financial Network in December that the district could face a $3.6 million deficit by fiscal year 2013.

“Our projections are at a point where we need to start weathering the storm,” Colyott said in a news release.

The plan includes a 10 percent reduction in administrators at the school level, a reduction in campus monitor positions, the loss of the special education administrator position and a freeze in full-time personnel at fiscal year 2012 levels.

The board isn’t ready to identify specific personnel who will not be retained for the 2012-13 school year. Voting on that part of the plan is scheduled to take place at the next closed session, Colyott said.

“We made the plan and we know where we are headed. People have been notified of the plan,” Colyott said. “The actual votes will take place (Thursday).”

Additionally, there will be a reduction of capital projects for two years, saving the district $850,000; and a reduction of supplies, equipment, dues, fees and purchase services for a savings of $750,000.

Certain projects, such as the South Campus parking lot and anything related to safety, will not be put on the back burner, Colyott said. Projects that can wait will be put into the district’s long-term plans.

It was the educators who came up with the reductions in supplies, equipment and purchase services, Colyott said. Each department combed through their budgets to see where they could cut costs.

District offices will be moved from their current Mondamin Street location to South Campus, saving an additional $25,000 a year in lease, overhead and utilities.

Even with the reductions, the district will have to dip into its reserves, using about $1 million a year for the next two years. The district needs to be cautious about spending too much of the reserves too quickly, said Colyott.

The board also is committed to maintaining the $2.34 tax rate for as long as possible.

All reductions will take place beginning with the 2012-13 school year.