Most school districts expecting deficits in 2012

By Jeremy P. Kelley, Staff Writer Dayton Daily News 8:32 PM Sunday, November 28, 2010

Educators’ forecasts call for either new tax levies or spending cut

Two-thirds of Miami Valley school districts are projected to have deficits by the end of the 2012-13 school year without new levies or spending cuts, according to forecasts the districts filed with the state last month.

The problem is local and statewide. Only two of the 25 local districts reviewed by the Dayton Daily News secured extra funding by passing new money levies Nov. 2, and the Ohio Department of Education says most of them should plan for state funding cuts next fall.

Although variables affecting a district’s bottom line are constantly changing, the numbers signal that area schools could face their toughest financial challenge in years.

“Should (citizens) be concerned? Yes, because without additional operating dollars, you either eliminate programs or raise class size,” Beavercreek schools Treasurer Stephen Maag said.

Just as area school districts vary in financial strength, they also have different philosophies on whether to save money now for what may be a rocky financial patch ahead.

Oakwood schools allowed their general fund balance to fall below $750,000, or less than 4 percent of a year’s spending, in June. Treasurer Kevin Philo said he does not like the balance to get that low, but Oakwood had leeway to cut it close because its voters have approved levies on the first try, as they did again Nov. 2.

West Carrollton, on the other hand, had a $16 million general fund balance in June, or 45 percent of a year’s expenses. Despite having a cushion to work with, Superintendent Rusty Clifford said the district has eliminated jobs three of the past four years, and will do so again next year. He said those moves will allow the district to wait until November 2011 or even 2012 before asking for another levy.

“Each district has to know what their comfort level is,” Philo said. “When the next treasurer or next board comes in here, they might not be happy with cash balances of 4 percent. It’s sort of an art.”

New site lays it down straight.

www.strongspringboro.org

Kudos to those working hard to put our kids and our community first.
Speaking as someone who personally has been adversely affected by the economic downturn in a serious way, I am still voting yes, because it's that important.

The reasons to vote no are wearing very thin. The time for Springboro to UNITE is now. Vote YES! Hell Yes! 

Editorial : Levy Offers Springboro A Frash Start

By the Dayton Daily News | Tuesday, September 28, 2010, 01:46 PM

2010 Election
Springboro’s school district has new leaders and is seeking a fresh start. A 6.83-mill emergency levy would put the district on solid financial footing as a new superintendent and treasurer join a mostly new school board in charting a different path.
Voters should give the new crew that opportunity.
Whoever was at fault, a breakdown in trust between the district and the community was a big reason for four consecutive levy defeats in Springboro. The most recent came in May of 2009. Too many voters lost faith in the board and former Superintendent David Baker.
Critics of the district’s spending focused on administrative costs they argued needed scaling back. They bristled when district leaders, in their view, prioritized cuts like bus service and closing an elementary school.
Interim Superintendent Gene Lolli (a finalist for the permanent post) and new Treasurer Eric Beavers have put fresh eyes on Springboro’s problems. Their verdict is instructive.
Overall, they report not finding anything in the district’s budget that was extraordinarily out of line. They believe teacher and administrator salaries, for example, are solidly competitive with similar districts and reasonable. The total cost reductions over the past 18 months have amounted to $6.5 million. Administrators took the brunt of the most recent round of cuts.
The central office, long cited by the district’s critics as bloated, was cut by about 30 percent, down 10 positions to 24. At the same time, the district used federal stimulus funds to restore busing service reductions that had rankled some parents.
All the while, Springboro has maintained solid performance on state tests. The district is rated “excellent” on its state report card. Its “performance index score,” Ohio’s measure of test performance across all grades, ranks in the top 10 among 79 districts in the 10 counties surrounding Dayton.
Of course, a lot of competing districts have also made cuts. Springboro can’t keep cutting forever and maintain a quality program.
Even after all the recent reductions, Mr. Beavers projects a deficit of $1.7 million by 2012. Springboro is a relatively well-off district (No. 1 in the area for median income, higher than Oakwood), and it is treated as such by the state funding formula. The district can’t expect any help from the state.
Meanwhile, enrollment continues to grow (although not quite at the intense pace of recent years). That requires more teachers, pushing costs higher. If Springboro wants to maintain top-quality schools, the burden will fall on the local taxpayer.
Today that burden is not terribly heavy. Property taxes for schools in Springboro are actually lower than other suburban districts like Centerville, Oakwood, Kettering, Huber Heights and West Carrollton.
Supporting a 6.83-mill levy won’t be easy for some Springboro residents. The recession has hit just about everywhere. But the district has done everything it can to earn voter support — changing leadership, cutting spending and maintaining excellent results.
A “yes” vote would get the district on solid financial footing.

Springboro Narrows Superintendent Search Down to Four

By Lawrence Budd, Staff Writer Updated 12:40 AM Friday, October 1, 2010

SPRINGBORO — Four Ohio school administrators remain in the running for the Springboro school superintendent’s job, officials said Thursday.

Joel Anderson, director of curriculum and instruction for the Warren County Joint Vocational Schools; Matthew Dill, superintendent for the Fort Frye Local Schools; Clinton Moore, superintendent for National Trail Local Schools, and interim Springboro Superintendent Gene Lolli, formerly an assistant principal at Springboro High School, survived an executive session Wednesday night by the board.

The board expects to hire a new superintendent within two weeks, said board President Mike Kruse said.

In the meantime, the board will talk with references, conduct follow-up interviews and negotiate a contract with the new superintendent, Kruse said.

Administrators from five states applied for the job to replace 10-year veteran David Baker, who resigned in July to take a part-time job with the Warren County Educational Service Center.

Before Wednesday, the field had been narrowed to eight candidates.

Kruse noted the process is complicated by commitments related to the Nov. 2 election, when districts voters will consider a 6.83 mill emergency levy expected to raise $5.9 million a year for five years. Voters have rejected four consecutive levies for new money, most recently by 111 votes in May 2009.

The board is to meet Friday with a consultant from the Ohio School Boards Association about the next step, including whether to offer the public a chance to meet some of the candidates.

“I’ll know a bit more tomorrow,” Kruse said Thursday.

Superintentions

By Lawrence Budd, Staff Writer DDN
3:04 PM Thursday, September 23, 2010
SPRINGBORO — Today the Springboro school board is expected to begin interviewing the eight finalists for the school superintendent’s job.
The board is expected to interview seven Ohio school administrators, as well as interim Superintendent Gene Lolli, who was appointed to head the district after the resignation of David Baker, effective July 1.
Since then, the board has replaced a member and hired a new treasurer, but has yet to decide on the administrator to head the district.
“We need to get somebody in place permanently,” board member Scott Anderson said.
Other finalists are Joel Anderson, director of curriculum and instruction for the Warren County Joint Vocational Schools; Hank Jackoby, an assistant principal at Fairmont High School; and five superintendents from other Ohio districts, Matthew Dill, Fort Frye Local Schools; Tony Dunn, Georgetown Exempted Village Schools; Doug Fries, Lincolnview Local Schools; Darren Jenkins, Northwest Ohio Educational Service Center; and Clinton Moore, National Trail Local Schools.
Voters and board members, including Anderson, have expressed confidence in Lolli, formerly an assistant principal at Springboro High School.
But the board also plans to interview the other seven finalists selected after a search by a consultant with the Ohio School Boards Association.
First round interviews are to continue on Sept. 25 and Sept. 29.
The board plans to introduce candidates selected from the personal interviews to the public before hiring the superintendent, ideally by the end of October.
“We have to let the process unwind,” Anderson said.
It was unclear whether the new superintendent would be on board before the Nov. 2 levy election, unless Lolli is selected.
“That’s all up in the air,” Anderson said.
The board had weighed waiting until after the election, when district voters will consider a 6.83 mill emergency levy expected to raise $5.9 million a year for five years. Voters have rejected four consecutive levies for new operating money, most recently by 111 votes in May 2009.

Reposting from DDN article - Larry Budd Fri Aug 16th

SPRINGBORO — After a two-day delay, the Springboro school board voted on Thursday, July 15, to put a five- year, 6.83-mill emergency levy on November ballots.

By a 4-1 vote, the board approved putting a levy, which would raise $5.9 million a year and cost property owners $209 for every $100,000 of valuation, on the Nov. 2 ballot.

On Tuesday, the board delayed a decision on whether to ask voters for another tax levy so members could study levy options.

After reviewing options, such as an earned-income tax, the board approved the identical emergency property tax levy on Thursday that was tabled Tuesday.

“Stop the drama. Stop the in-fighting. Do what is right for this community,” Tamara Hawes, a mom with two children in the district, said before the vote.

District voters have rejected four consecutive levies for new operating money, most recently by 111 votes in May 2009.

Board Member Don Miller said the board needs to give voters a chance to approve the proposed levy, but that cuts are expected in the next five years even if it passes.

While approving the levy, Board Member Scott Anderson said he favored a larger tax, perhaps a continuing levy, to eliminate the need for future cuts to sustain the level of services.

Warren county issues up for vote on ballot this coming fall

School issues on the ballot include:

• Franklin City Schools — 4.2-mill additional bond issue.

• Kings Local Schools — A five-year, 3-mill, renewal levy.

• Lebanon City Schools — A five-year, 5.41-mill, renewal levy.

• Little Miami Local Schools — A four-year, incremental additional tax levy starting at 10.95 mills. • Mason City Schools — An incremental continuing additional tax levy that starts at 3.95 mills the first year, 5.95-mills the second year, 6.95 the third year.

• Springboro Community City Schools — A five-year, 6.83-mill additional emergency tax levy.

The cities of Carlisle and Franklin will also have tax issues on the Nov. 2 ballot.

Carlisle will have a 2-mill, continuing replacement fire levy. Franklin will ask for a 0.5-percent increase in its city income tax which is currently at 1.5 percent.

Hamilton, Washington and Wayne township have public safety tax issues on the ballot.

• Hamilton Twp. has a five-year, 1-mill additional tax for police services.

• Washington Twp. will have two fire renewal levies on the ballot. One renewal fire levy will be for 1-mill over four years. The other renewal will be for 1.06-mills over four years.

• Wayne Twp. will have a five-year, 2.45-mill replacement fire levy.

THE NEW RANKINGS ARE IN!

FOR THE FIFTH YEAR IN A ROW! Springboro schools have managed to achieved the higest possible ranking given by the state of ohio. Excellent with Distinction.

Way to go Springboro!

Stay Tuned - reformatting this blog

111

111 votes separate us. Clearly this is a contentious issue and very divisive. So now what?
Regroup? Retool? ReUNITE?

Oh, the drama. I am disappointed, but heartened at the same time.

Our community clearly cares and is passionate. On both sides we expressed our right to vote. We expressed our right to free speech. We expressed our opinions.

I don't know what is next for Springboro, but I know one thing. I love this town and I am here to stay. Whether a new ballot is in order or new ideas, I am in support of the community. Good job for getting out there and voicing your opinions.

We will be ok. My commenters have taught me a lot. The media has enlightened me as well at times. Both sides have much to be proud of. Perhaps we can find ways to meet in the middle.

Full of hope.

Where do I vote?

Not sure where to vote??

Use the following link to find your voting location:

http://www.co.warren.oh.us/bdelec/geninfo/search/where_to_vote