RUSSELLVILLE, Mo. - The Cole County R-1 Schools needs another 40 students to move into its district.
The school has suffered declining enrollment in recent years, which impacts all sources of revenue except the local operating levy, Superintendent Perry Gorrell said. The last graduating class had 61 students, but the incoming kindergarten class has only 32.
As a result of the tightening budget, the school board recently approved the ballot language to ask voters in April to maintain the current debt service levy at 95 cents per $100 assessed valuation to conduct facility improvements.
Proposition CARE (Community Action Reinvesting in Education) would issue a $2 million general obligation bond without increasing the current debt service property tax levy.
According to the ballot language, the funds would improve district facilities, including "the recabling of the technology network at both buildings and construction of separate server rooms; renovation of the elementary cafeteria and roof replacement; remodeling restrooms at the elementary and high school, construction of a handicapped ramp in the elementary school hallway, (and) completion of heating/ventilation/air condition (HVAC) system improvements to the elementary school."
At its November meeting, the board named Septagon its construction manager. The company would receive no money from the district unless the bond passes.
Septagon will develop preliminary costs and a timeline for the identified projects to help the district inform voters prior to the election, Gorrell said.
School representatives intend to hold public meetings and visit with local groups to explain the bond intentions in more detail, he said.
The district has had to "deficit spend" the last three years, Gorrell said, noting that cannot continue.
At the December board meeting, the superintendent also provided a financial review. Utility costs ran higher than usual this fall, health insurance rates for the remainder of the year are still unknown, and slowing state revenues threaten withholdings in the spring.
At the same time, budget needs include an increase to the teachers' salary schedule to aid in retention, a repeated concern on community surveys.
Gorrell presented the following options to the board: reduce staff, cap insurance, salary freeze, further reduce bus routes, and reduction of preschool and Parents As Teachers - or moving two additional grades to the high school could reduce staff and administrative costs.
Another option would be increasing the operating levy. The board will discuss the issue at its January meeting in consideration of adding this measure to the April 4 ballot, as well, Gorrell said. The deadline to file is Jan. 24.
An operating levy increase for a residential property valued at $100,000 would result in an additional annual expense of $47.50 at a 25-cent increase and $95 for a 50-cent increase.
For the district, a 25-cent increase would generate an estimated $132,553 or $265,107 for a 50-cent levy.
Gorrell said the decreasing enrollment, which in turn lowers the school's revenue, has had the most impact on the budget.
"The little things add up," he said. "Everything else already has been trimmed. We need to increase our base and keep from deficit spending."