Energy costs fuel Green Bay School District deficit

An article by Kelly McBride in the Green Bay Press Gazette:

The Green Bay School District's 2008-09 budget shortfall is projected to be larger than initially expected, thanks in large part to high energy costs.

Officials initially had predicted a $4 million deficit for the upcoming school year, but now say the shortfall will be about $6.5 million instead.

The School Board on Monday considered the district's plan to address about $6 million of the gap.

"We're predicting about a 14 percent increase in our student transportation (costs), which is roughly $850,000," said Alan Wagner, assistant superintendent for business and finance. "Natural gas, we're budgeting about a 25 percent increase in that. That's about $300,000."

Health insurance costs also are up, Wagner said. The district's 2007-08 budget was just shy of $220 million.

The district's budget plan spares programming but does eliminate 34.8 full-time equivalent teaching positions by tightening staffing guidelines.

Most staff positions will be reduced through attrition, Wagner said, with the exception of seven special education paraprofessionals and 2.27 full-time equivalent elementary music teacher positions.

The district also plans to use two fewer buses for Preble High School, and eliminate two more by consolidating routes.

Some board members expressed concern with the Preble bus plan Monday, saying students would have to cross Mason Street, which could be dangerous.

"If safety was our number one concern, I'm kind of puzzled by this," said board member Judy DeCleene.