The Wrangell School Board adopted some revisions to the FY 2020 budget at their Monday night meeting. The district's budget, originally, set revenues at a little less than $5.5 million, and expenditures at around $6.1 million. With the revisions however, revenues have been bumped up to around $5.7 million.
The first revision to the budget adds the Wrangell borough's contribution. The revised budget takes into account a contribution of $610,329 from the City and Borough of Wrangell. Superintendent Debbe Lancaster explained in an email that this was the minimum mandated contribution that was listed in the revision. The remainder of the city's total contribution, $1.3 million in all, was put as "pass through SRS funds." This was done for auditing purposes, she said.
Foundation support for the budget was also revised, increased from $3,701,530 to $3,756,369. $2,000 of federal impact aid grants were also removed from the revenues of the revised budget. Lancaster explained that the application process for these grants were very labor-intensive, and just not worth the trouble.
"Our business team and school support teams had already exhausted more in labor than the grant was worth in trying to get the information required," she wrote. "As the application deadline approached, we made a decision to not spend any more hours working on it and just let it go. I contacted Robin Gregory in Washington DC and informed her that we would not be submitting an application this year. We can try again if they streamline the process down to a manageable time frame."
Expenditures in the revised budget remain the same, $6.1 million. There were some revisions to how that money is expected to be spent, however. Total expenditures for certified salaries, uncertified salaries, and employee benefits were decreased from about $4.8 million to about $4.75 million. Money set aside for professional and technical services decreased from $291,000 to $256,000. Money for the "supplies, materials and media" category increased from $258,436 to $307,436. Student travel costs were decreased from $151,675 to $146,675, while staff travel was increased from $50,500 to $70,500. A full list of the budget revisions can be found online, by going to the "Board Docs" link at http://www.wpsd.us.
During the meeting, the board also reviewed two letters they received regarding funding for the Wrangell Swim Team. Jamie Roberts, coach for the swim team, wrote to the board about some concerns she had. In 2018 the swim team was approved for creation by the school board, but with no district funding allowed for it, and Roberts was offered an extracurricular contract to coach the team. Her letter reads that the district applied for a grant to fund the team, but she is not sure on the amount. In May 2019, she wrote, she was informed that she had overspent for the 2018 season by about $3,700. Roberts also wrote, in her letter, that anticipated expenses for the team have been underestimated, and that she feels left out of the loop on how the team gets funded, and that they struggle to meet expenses even with numerous fundraisers. She would like the board to answer several questions for her, she said, including how swim team expenses are tracked, what the 2018 grant amount was, and how to get the swim coach position added to the list of school-funded extracurricular activities.
"I have been patient for two years, but I do not want to continue to operate in the blind," Roberts wrote in her letter. "I feel it is fiscally irresponsible to do so. It also created unnecessary frustration and confusion. I am formally requesting that a workshop be held to discuss funding a swim team and adding a swim coach to the extracurricular pay scale."
The board also received a letter from Kristy Woodbury, voicing similar concerns as Roberts'. Her highest concern is the lack of expense reports from the district, she wrote, though they have been repeatedly asked for since the beginning of the swim program. Too much time has elapsed without properly resolving questions of how much was spent, and how, she said. Another concern of hers is that the team continues to be sanctioned by the district, but does not receive support from it. She advocated for adding the swim coach to the list of funded coaching contracts. Or, she said, the district should consider removing all activity contracts from the negotiated agreement.
"The program has proven to be successful, with membership increasing the second year, and a high level of satisfaction from stakeholders," Woodbury wrote.
Other items covered in the meeting included an amendment to the teaching contract of Mikki Angerman, providing an additional $1,621.87 for the assessment, planning, and instruction of 31 kindergarten and first grade students between Feb. 3 and May 21. The board also agreed to a slight revision of the district calendar, moving two inservice days from March 5 and 6 to March 12 and 13. The board also held a discussion on the district's 2020 legislative priorities, which include support for students' emotional, social, and mental health, support for early childhood education, support for the ferry system, and a statement of concern about rising healthcare costs in the state.
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