D181 Board Approves Plan for Balancing 2011-12 Budget

The Community Consolidated School District 181 Board of Education voted unanimously in support of $661,000 in expenditure reductions for the 2011-12 school year at Monday night’s regular business meeting at after the cuts drew no discussion at a public hearing.

Along with the planned authorization in August of a Cook County increase factor for tax year 2010, which would give the district an extra $450,000, the total expenditure reduction and revenue enhancements for next year total approximately $1.11 million.

The district faces a $1.2 million deficit next year, according to Superintendant Dr. Renee Schuster, but “potential savings” in insurance costs would cover the approximately $89,000 difference.

A public hearing at the outset of Monday's meeting gave the community an opportunity to voice their opinion on the budget amendments, but no one spoke and the hearing was closed as quickly as it was opened.

According to the plan approved by the board, $350,000 of the $661,000 in expenditure reductions would come from a one-month holiday from payment to the district's Health Plan Account, which is used by the district to pay out employee claims and currently has a surplus of funds.

Assistant Superintendant for Business Dr. Troy Whalen said the district had to match 100 percent of the money set aside by employees for health coverage until the account reached $1 million.

“We discovered a year ago that the board was still paying 100 percent even though we were well above 1 million,” Whalen said.

A one-month holiday last year saved the district $380,000. 

District 181 also plans to reduce its number of bus routes by five, which will save $150,000. Schuster said there are bus routes that currently have as few as 12 students.

Though it will make bus rides longer and students may have to walk an extra block to their stop, Schuster said, the district should allocate buses “based on actual usage rather than the number kids who have the potential of riding them.”

Whalen said two routes each would be dropped from and , as well as one route from Elm.

The other $161,000 in savings would come from the elimination of the director of buildings and grounds position (), a reduction in the buildings and grounds supply budget, and energy savings derived from the establishment of a four-day work week during the summer months.

Schuster made clear the board was not yet voting to approve the Cook County increase factor, which according to Whalen would affect about 13 percent of the district, but was voting on a general plan that included the increase. Whalen said the increase factor will come to the board for approval in August.