January 26, 2011
Concerned staff members, alumni, parents and students packed the guidance resource center at Barrington High School Tuesday as the Barrington Community Unit School District 220 Board of Education held a preliminary discussion on the 2011-12 budget and spending cuts.
“This is the fullest house we've had in a long time,” Board of Education President Brian Battle said at the beginning of the meeting.
The Board of Education did not hold a vote at Tuesday's committee of the whole meeting, but based on information submitted by District 220 Chief Finance Officer Gary Frisch, the board believes it will have to cut costs by about $2 million. Board of Education members stressed that that number is tentative.
“That number could change,” Battle said. “It could change significantly between now and when we make cuts, but that's the ballpark right now.”
Several Barrington High School fine arts teachers addressed the Board of Education and pleaded for board members not to further reduce staff levels and resources for the fine arts department and the theater program.
“Any more cuts will be fatal to the program,” said Barrington High School alumni Marc Parker, who was instrumental in organizing an alumni theater performance that raised over $70,000 in July 2010.
Theater students and Barrington High School alumni spoke passionately at the meeting of the importance of the theater program to the student body.
Board of Education members began reviewing a document prepared by Superintendent Tom Leonard that detailed over 200 potential areas where cuts could be made throughout the district. The document was made available to those in the audience and will be posted on the District 220 website.
The Board of Education asked for clarifications on several items included in the document on Tuesday but did not indicate which potential cost reductions will be pursued.
“This is a dialogue that will go on for the next two months,” Battle assured those in attendance.
Battle said once the Board of Education begins recommending specific cuts there will be opportunities for community members and district staff to comment.
The district will not approve the full 2011-12 budget until September, but the district is required by law to alert staff members if they are not going to be retained for the 2011-2012 school year by March 31.
Battle said in the summer of 2010 Gov. Pat Quinn passed legislation that reduced the transportation stipend the district receives from the state from $2 million to $200,000. Battle said there is legislation proposed in Springfield to reinstate the transportation stipend using revenue from the recent tax increase. However, Battle said he does not expect to find out whether the district will receive additional state funding until late May.
“We will make the decision (on cuts) based on the best information we have available to us in mid-March,” Battle said.
He said if additional state funds become available the district could end up reinstating some of the staff members who were cut.
The district has reduced its budget by more than $4.1 million since 2008, according to the document prepared by Leonard.
According to the document, staff salaries and benefits comprise about 76 percent of the district's operating budget. In addition, overall enrollment is projected to drop by about 154 students next year, according to the document.
The Board of Education is expected to continue its discussion of potential cost reductions for the 2011-12 budget at its Tuesday meeting.
