Dundee school board cuts deficit
Dundee Community Schools Board of Education has cut its deficit in the upcoming 2004-2005 school year from $800,000 to $537,000 said superintendent of Schools Robert Black.

In the 2003-2004 school year, Dundee had a deficit of $237,000 which was some $40,000 less than anticipated last June.

“We were able to absorb the governor’s cuts in December and come in lower than we thought. It may actually be even less by the time of the audit,” said Mr. Black.

The district has a fund equity balance of $2.8 million heading into 2004-2005.

The 2004-2005 budget reflects the third year in a row that the district has not received an increase in per pupil funding from the state. But the last two years, there were actually cuts in this funding due to executive order cuts amounting to $100 to $150 per student.

The district has had to meet its contractual obligations with raises in employees’ contracts, health care costs went up 18% this year, and retirement costs are also increasing.

“We have brought the deficit down for 2004-2005 from close to $800,000 to the $537,000 by curtailing spending and adding revenues,” said Mr. Black.

The district cut some assistant athletic coaches in swimming and wrestling, some equipment line items, athletic uniform items, and summer school.

Next year, the district will have one less half-time kindergarten position, due to a decrease in enrollment in that grade. From 150 kindergartners last year, this year’s kindergarten round up yielded only 100 students, Mr. Black said.

The district is increasing the price of admission to athletic events by $1 for adults and students. Prices for high school events will be $4 for adults and $3 for students; middle school, $3 for adults, $2 for students.

Dundee will bring back “pay to participate” fees, with high school students paying $40 per sport and middle school students paying $20 per sport.

Additionally, driver education will cost $100 per student. This will bring in an anticipated $10,000 in revenue.

Student parking permits will cost $10 next fall.

By June 30, 2005, the district should have a fund equity of $2.3 million, or 19% of the total budget.
“All in all, we’re still in good financial shape,” said Mr. Black. “We’ve been saving for a rainy day, and we felt it’s starting to rain. We need to look ahead for the next few years.”

Mr. Black said the district’s already spending more than $1,000 per month per employee in hospitalization and medical insurance.

“We keep trimming,” said Mr. Black. “We’re trying to prevent the wholesale cuts that will hurt staff members and students. We expect in the near future, to get more students from more homes being built.”
The board approved a 3.25% raise for non-union employees for next year, including custodians, directors, supervisors and administrators. This is consistent with what the teachers union employees and suppor staff union employees are receiving.

In other matters, the board learned that the Aramark food program operated at a profit of $1,820. It was the first year of closed campus for lunch. Mr. Black said part of the reason for the small profit was that the company provided more lunch choices.

The board continues to wrap up the construction of the new high school building. The board made a contract adjustment (number 30) involving heating in some high school areas, at a cost of $194,103. The school’s architect owes some of that money, due to poor design, said Mr. Black. The school will pay for anything that increases the value of the school.

Additionally, some concrete at entryways was improperly installed, and there were some $6,000 in repairs to fix some roof venting issues. Of the venting issues, the school, architect and construction manager will split the cost.

The construction manager, Granger, is getting estimates for underdrains and downspouts to control water coming off the roof. Estimates also are being sought to fix heating issues in the band and chorus rooms in the middle school.

The board agreed to some student conduct changes for the elementary school, involving aggressive behavior, racism, bullying, intimidation, field trip behavior, and consequences.

The board is still negotiating details to allow for the extension of Ypsilanti Street into the proposed 700-home subdivision planned by Franklin Properties. In exchange for an easement, the company would give the school 10 acres of adjacent property, and grade and help drain the back field of the high school, and also make a cash payment.

The board ordered materials for a new K-12 science curriculum, which is detailed, with lessons sequenced and organized to meet the Michigan benchmarks. It is developed so students should be able to answer specific questions at each grade level, and learn certain vocabulary words.

Kevin Langejans was hired to teach middle school and high school instrumental music. He taught at Coloma Schools for two years. He is reportedly moving to the area.

Julie Jacobs was hired as part-time elementary secretary.

The state inspected the district’s buses. Each bus has about 120 different details to be checked. Dundee had three of its 17 buses red-tagged, but those items have all been fixed now.

“The roads were tough on the buses this year,” said Mr. Black.

All the buses are certified to be on the road.