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PRINTSchool board seeks input on proposed cuts
March 19, 2008 | 9:52 p.m. CST
The Columbia School Board will meet tonight to talk about proposed ways to cut $5 million out of the district’s annual operating budget.
“We’re really interested in getting lots of feedback,” said Darin Preis, board vice president. “We won’t be voting on anything, but we’ll be clarifying what will be cut.”
What: Columbia School Board discusses budget cuts; public comments invited.
When: 6:30 tonight.
Where: Administration Building, 1818 W. Worley St.
- School Board approves final budget
- School board approves a budget with 5-1 vote
- Chase to take $20,000 cut in salary
- Final school district budget under discussion at listening session
- Salary increases still on chopping block for Columbia Public School District
- Public comments encouraged at special session board meetings
- Columbia School Board asks public to comment on budget plans Thursday
- School Board postpones presentation of full budget draft for upcoming school year
- School Board to discuss budget, policy changes
- Progress made on school budget, calendar and five-year plan
- Permanent substitute teachers on school budget chopping block
- School board to vote on proposed boundary lines for new school
- School superintendent to take a voluntary pay cut
- School board hands administration deficit budget
- Board cuts two work days from teacher contracts
- School Board to decide if additional budget cuts are necessary
- With tax levy approval uncertain, school board looks at future cuts
- School board cuts $5.23 million from next year’s budget
- School board to vote on budget cuts
- Public had plenty to say to school board about proposed cuts
- High turnout for Columbia School Board meeting
- Literacy coaches, special educators among school budget cuts proposed
- School Board hears possible budget cuts
- School Board to hear teacher salary recommendation
- Columbia Public Schools might be able to avoid $2 million in hard cuts
- Columbia School Board moves budget-cut vote to March 20
- Teachers, staff asked to help trim budget
- Columbia School Board to discuss budget reduction
- School board approves a budget with 5-1 vote
- Chase to take $20,000 cut in salary
- School Board postpones presentation of full budget draft for upcoming school year
- School Board to discuss budget, policy changes
- Open school board forum reveals need for discussion
- Board cuts two work days from teacher contracts
- Public had plenty to say to school board about proposed cuts
- High turnout for Columbia School Board meeting
- School board candidates call for more open relationship with public
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- School board changes time of work session on budget cuts
- Columbia School Board moves budget-cut vote to March 20
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- School District uses reserves for raises
The public is invited to comment on the proposed cuts. The board moved its work session from its usual morning time in an attempt to accommodate more citizen input.
At the March 10 board meeting, Superintendent Phyllis Chase presented 108 possible cuts the board could make to save the district money. The cuts were listed as priority one, two or three. If approved, priority one cuts would be made regardless of whether voters approve a 54-cent property tax levy on April 8.
The district has pledged to cut $5 million in part as a gesture of good faith to voters as it asks them to approve the $10.3 million levy increase. The vote on the budget cuts is scheduled to occur at a work session at 7:30 a.m. April 3.
Among the top tier of proposals are cutting more than two dozen full-time positions and reducing the budget for early childhood programs.
Priority two cuts would be made if the public does not approve the levy increase, and priority three would be optional, for the board to consider as substitutions for items on the priority one and two lists.
“For the most part, what’s in priority one should stay there,” Preis said.
There are about five items Preis would like to see transferred from priority one to priority two, he said, but “my opinion might be modified by what I hear (at the meeting.)”
A complete list can be found through the district’s Web site, www.columbia.k12.mo.us, under “Hot Topics.”
Board member Jan Mees said she has already heard feedback from community members about a proposed priority one cut that would end insurance coverage for part-time employees. Mees said her goal will be to cut what least affects “students and classrooms.”
Both Preis and Mees expect a large turnout at tonight’s meeting.
“I would hope that (the public) would come out and have some questions answered,” Mees said. “I would assume we’ll have a packed house.”
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