EF finance committee mulling ways to cut expenses

The Elizabeth Forward School Board heard possible ways to trim the budget ahead of next year.

The Elizabeth Forward School Board may be eyeing budget cuts following a finance committee meeting earlier this week.

Board Director Scott Henry gave an update about the finance meeting during Wednesday’s committee of the whole meeting.

Henry said the committee is going to look at expenses at each building in the district.

“We’re really starting to look at things, and starting to bring the avenues forward that we can cut to the board,” said board President Jamie Evans said. “I understand that probably in the next coming months we are going to have to make some difficult decisions…and if that’s how we want to go forward.”

The committee plans to look at other ways of saving money as they try to continue communicating with the public about expenses.

According to Henry, the new teacher contract, which was approved last month, added an additional $141,586 to the current budget. Social Security contributions also went up an additional $35,000.

“We then got into the discussion of what this committee is, and how we are going to try to trim and try to look at this for cost savings,” Henry said. “We’re looking at vendors, we are looking at costs that were spent by specific companies, we have a lot of different expenditures. The public has kind of asked us to go through spending with a fine tooth comb.”

The district got $339,035 additional from the state this year, which is an increase of 2.3%. The total amount the district received from the state is $15,380,859 for both regular and special education.

“I think it’s pitiful,” Director of finance and operations Al Ragan said. “We should be getting more money, and we are going to work through some things to try to get more. It’s not doing what it’s supposed to do.”

Board Director Rick Cummings said the committee was looking at the cost of sending students to Steel Center for Career and Technical Education.

The district started sending sophomore students to the center years ago, but for the longest time, they were only sending junior and senior students. Some programs at the center require students to attend for three years.

There are about 35 EF sophomores that attend the center, costing about $6,000 per year, per student, which adds up to around $210,000, according to Henry. Since the course of studies was approved in March, any changes would have to wait.

Board Director Travis Stoffer was strongly against the idea of sophomores no longer going to the vocational school.

“I don’t think cutting any trade, or any vo-tech program is advisable in any way, shape ,or form, and I am just absolutely appalled that would be brought up,” Stoffer said. “That is not the place to do it. We’re begging people to go into the trades.”

Board Director Megan Ferraro agreed, stating that the sooner a student feels comfortable in a future career, the better, and that there are better budget cut opportunities, including costs in facilities.

Cummings stated that they have to go through every avenue, and tough choices need to be made.

“Our president has stated that he wants 10% (cut),” Cummings said. “I don’t think we can find 10%. I do think that though, providing all these different options whether we do them or not, at least shows us that we’re doing our due diligence. It’s showing our taxpayers that we are also spending time investing, and spending our money appropriately.”

Stoffer added he was disappointed that Steel Center was the only education point mentioned to have possible cuts at the first finance meeting.

Cummings stated back that this is just an opportunity, and if Stoffer does not want it, he doesn’t have to vote for it.

“In this proposal that I just got today, that I just read, in the meeting that you had, the only proposal that I see on here to cut any education is to cut from the vo-tech program,” Stoffer said. “Can you show me something else that is dealing with education? I’m not accusing you of anything, I’m not being accusatory, I’m asking questions, and I’m putting out my opinion of what was being presented here,” Stoffer added. “And I am kind of showing you, because you are part of the finance committee and the rest of the finance committee, that you need to dig a little harder on things that are not vo-tech related because I’m going to shut that down every time. When you bring something to us, and if I disagree with it, it’s not that I am accusing you of anything. It’s merely stating that I disagree with what you brought to us.”

According to Cummings, the committee merely saw this as a possible cut. He said this should not be cut, but if they are having conversations next May, he wants to make sure they go through every single avenue if they have to vote to raise taxes again next year.

Board Director Thomas Sharkey, who participated via phone, said this is how this discussion is done, and discussions like these need to be public.

“We’re getting ready for the start of school,” Henry said. “I agree that we need to look at everything with education. This was the first meeting, this was the lowest- hanging fruit, we have to be holistic about it and this has to be a collaboration across the whole board. I am not anti-trade at all. We are just looking for money. We aren’t making cuts to make cuts.”