201 board meeting

[mustang54]

  Went to the district 201 meeting tonight. Big crowd on hand myself and one young lady.I'll be the first to admit my summarys are not as good as the Tedmiester but here goes.
1. Hired 7 new teachers who were all replacements and one went from the freshman center to East. Also hired 2 teachers aides and 4 special ed teachers. One assistant coach to replace one who resigned last week at the freshman level for soccer.Accepted 4 resignations and released 2 employees.
2.TEST SCORES RESULTS- Big increases in math scores at both East and West last year. Also in Reading scores at West. When they get the official final results from the state they will be made public on the web site and in the news letter. I was told after the meeting West really kicked butt and the increases are impressive.
Billingual students scores at East were up in both math and reading.
3.OPENING OF NEW ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL- It has passed the inspections from EPA,County and the state and will open on time. It was stated this school is larger and is air conditioned so the operating expenses are thought to be 50 to 100 thousand dollars a year higher than the old school. But Dr. Nowakowski stated that some special needs students could not attend the old school because of the special services they needed. That meant by law 201 had to pay their tuition and transportation to and from an out of district school. Some of those children now may be able to attend the new school instead. So that could bring some savings.He also said right now they believe there will be 45 special needs students and about 80 students who were sent there for disciplinary reasons.
It was also stated that the reason they chose to build it when they did was because the state offered to fund 60% of the cost. If they did not accept the funds at that time they may not be available again.
4.2008 BUDGET- Gail Kopf gave an illustration on the budget. It showed 84.5 million in revenue and expenditures of 90 million.That is an increase in revenue by 2.7 million and an increase in expenditures of 1.7 million over 2007. That means a deficit of 5.5 million dollars. A million less than last year. Now this does not take into account any new money from the states new budget. Those new funds would lower the deficit even more. The 1.0 million difference in expenditures from last year breaks down this way. 56% salarys,15% benefits,both due to union contract increases. Also 10% in debt service. Those 3 make up 81% of the increase with the rest being higher utility costs. She also showed a 10 year chart she prepared on revenue from property taxes in the district for the last 10 years. In that ten years property value has doubled yet the district gets less money than it did 10 years ago per student because of the large increase in enrollment. She also showed how 201 is the lowest spending per pupil in Cook County. The district ahead of 201 spend $2,000 per student more than 201. 201 is at 8500 the next lowest was 10,500 per student.
5.AUDIENCE COMMENTS- I had nothing to say so there were none.
6.NEXT MEETING September 12,2007
7. FOR PATSY- The meeting started 1 hour and 40 minutes late. But freshman center principal came in twice and said they were still in executive session.

[OakParkSpartan]

I wonder what impact the various TIF districts have upon revenue?  Obviously gains in property values are not flowing towards the schools.

[Berwyn Patsy]

Thanks Mustang , and don't under estimate yourself, you do a fine job in reporting.
What in the hell takes the board so long ?  I know they start thier meeting at 5:00.  They must take an hour for supper, is all I can figure.  At least , notification to the audience was given.  If I attend next time I'll bring a deck of cards!!
Have Tif funds in any of our districts ever been used for our schools?

[Berwyn Patsy]

Thanks Mustang , and don't under estimate yourself, you do a fine job in reporting.
What in the hell takes the board so long ?  I know they start thier meeting at 5:00.  They must take an hour for supper, is all I can figure.  At least , notification to the audience was given.  If I attend next time I'll bring a deck of cards!!
Have Tif funds in any of our districts ever been used for our schools?

[Berwyn Patsy]

Sorry for the additional quote thing, I was trying to be computer savy and of course touched the wrong button!!

[Ted]

  MUstang,

  Thanks for the recap.  I was not able to make the meeting because I had to take my nephew to the airport (his flight from Midway left at 8 PM).   If I had known the meeting was going to start 1 hour and 40 minutes late, I would have gone.  In fact, driving back from Midway, I was tempted to stop by and see if the meeting was still going on.  Looks like I would have been able to attend the whole meeting.  Dang.  I should have stopped by just to see if the meeting was still going on.


  Also, the numbers you posted were not what was in the tentative budget that I picked up on Monday.  The tentative budget showed:

  Revenue = $83,043,625
  Expenses= $89,662,430
  Deficit    =  $ 6,618,805

  The more important number is the deficit in the opertional funds (education, building & Maintenance, transportation, working cash).  That is what the state looks at.  The tentative budget had a $7 million dollar deficit in the operational funds.

  So, it looks like they picked up an additional $1.5 million dollars in revenue somewhere if the new revenue number is $84.5 million and the new total deficit is $5.5 million.

Now, I wish I had stopped by coming back from the airport.   

[Ted]

  Also, one more thing.   The budget deficit of $5.5 million is in line pretty much with the previous two years. The actual deficit in 2005/2006 was $5 million and the expected deficit in 2006/2007 was $5.7 million when the costs of building the alternative school are excluded.  So, $5.5 million is in line with what I would have expected.  I was surprised when the tentative budget showed a $6.5 million dollar deficit.

  The stated decrease of $1 million dollars from last year was due mostly to the completion of the building of the Alternative School.  Last year, the building of the Alternative School caused a $1.4 million dollar part of the deficit.

  The proposed $600 million dollar increase is state education funding included $200 million for state aid and another $400 million for special programs, pre-school and college funding.

  For Morton, that would bring in a minimum of $800K and maybe as much as $2 million dollars.

  Ted

[MRS. NORTHSIDER]

The increase in test scores is a good thing to see.  Hopefully, this trend will continue and a more positive light will be shed on the schools as a result.

[java]

Thanks for attending and recapping Mustang.  I hope Ms. Kopf's presentation was informative to the new board members.

I wonder what impact the various TIF districts have upon revenue?  Obviously gains in property values are not flowing towards the schools.

TIF certainly plays a role. But moreso, this is a function of the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law (PTELL).  http://www.tax.illinois.gov/LocalGovernment/PropertyTax/pio62.htm

Even though property values have doubled, schools don't get double the revenue (amounts are capped yearly at 5% or CPI, whichever is less).  Add to this the explosion of students, and per pupil funding is adversely affected.  The only way to address it unfortunately is through referendum.  I suspect the new board members now understand why "holding the line on taxes and increasing after school programs" is not realistic.

[Ted]

I suspect the new board members now understand why "holding the line on taxes and increasing after school programs" is not realistic.

  Java, you forgot the third point -  "... AND balance the budget"

  But, if the increase in state education funding for District 201 is in the range of $1 million to $2 million dollars per year, it will at least push off financial doomsday for at least a decade and being on the state financial watch list for at least 7 years.  By that time, some of the district's long term debt will have been paid off and the district could issue new long term debt to stay afloat.  Or, it could be the student population decreases dramatically by the year 2017 and costs will be less.

  So, with the increase in state education funding, the new school board would have the luxury pushing off asking for a tax rate increase for at least their first term in office and thus be able to keep their promise to not increase taxes.

  That is my guess as to what will happen.  The increase in state education funding will alleviate the need for an immediate increase in the tax rate so the new school board will not put a tax referendum on the ballot for at least 4 years.

  Ted

[java]

SO, with the increase in state education funding, the new school board would have the luxury pushing off asking for a tax rate increase for at least their first term in office and thus be able to keep their promise to not increase taxes.

  That is my guess as to what will happen.  The increase in state education funding will alleviate the need for an immediate increase in the tax rate.

  Ted

That sounds just great.  The district will bankrupt itself as my kids enter high school.  And you'll be claiming the senior citizen homeowner's exemption and won't care anymore. 

[Ted]

That sounds just great.  The district will bankrupt itself as my kids enter high school.  And you'll be claiming the senior citizen homeowner's exemption and won't care anymore. 

  No dude... 10 years from now I'll be gone from Berwyn and sunning myself in the Palm Springs desert...  <LOL>

  I will make a bet with you that the new District 201 board does not put a tax referendum on the ballot for at least 2 years.  They can defer a tax referendum if the district starts getting an extra $2 million per year from the state.

  Ted

[pkd50]

get a two bedroom.....I'll be visiting during the winter.

[Ted]

get a two bedroom.....I'll be visiting during the winter.

  Pat, you will always be more than welcome... given all my relatives, if I do move to P.S., I will probably have to get 10 bedrooms... LOL