Interest on idle funds has plunged the past two years and the base state aid for each pupil has been reduced by $33, but Emporia school district administrators estimate the district to be able to end its fiscal year on June 30 with a cash balance of approximately $1.96 million.
The information came during a quarterly budget report by Assistant Superintendent Rob Scheib and Karen Flood to the Emporia board of education. The board meet Wednesday evening in the Mary Herbert Education Center.
The $1.96 million figure could be affected if the state delays payments, Flood told the school board during its meeting Wednesday evening in Mary Herbert Education Center.
She said that interest received on March 31, 2007, had been $793,000; in March 2008, the interest payment was $482,000 and this year, interest received was $107,000.
Board president Angie Schreiber asked if cash would be available to pay district bills in June if the state delays its payment schedule.
“The cash balance is very healthy right now,” Flood said. “I feel pretty confident we’ll have money to make summer payrolls.”
The district cuts summer payroll checks in June for June and July, because of timing of the fiscal year.
The board approved hiring Bob Fancher as district maintenance director to replace Curt Lanpher, who resigned earlier this year.
Fancher has worked in local industries more than 30 years and also owned a machine tool business.
He has been production manager and supervisor of special projects at Vektek since 1997, and also has worked as machine shop manager for Glendo Corp.
Fancher graduated from Emporia High School and Flint Hills Technical College. He will oversee a staff of 10 employees and will manage all building and grounds maintenance and capital improvement projects for the district.
He was to begin work today.
The board voted to donate a 53-passenger special education lift bus to the Emporia Recreation Commission, as part of an action item dealing with purchases of three school buses.
Scheib told the board that the trade-in allowance for the current lift bus was $2,000.
“What we would like to do is donate that bus to the Recreation Commission,” Scheib said.
The board unanimously approved the proposal and agreed to purchase three Blue Bird school buses from Kansas Truck of Wichita, which had submitted the low bid of $260,988. Two 71-passenger buses were priced at $81,914 each, after trade-in; the lift bus cost was $97,160 with no trade-in.
A total of 12 buses were due to be rotated out of the fleet because of age. However, because of budget concerns, only three were recommended to be replaced.
“We’re looking closer to a 15-year rotation,” transportation director Shelby Harvel said.
The district has one 1993 model bus, two 1994 models, six 1997 models, and three 1998.
State law prohibits school districts from using a bus more than 20 years old.
The forensics program at Emporia High School received a National Forensics League excellence in speech award, presented by Conoco-Phillips, for 1999 to 2008. During that time, Carol Strickland and, later, Scott Bonnet directed and coached students in the forensics program.
In other action, the board approved:
F final versions of policy handbooks for Emporia Middle School and EHS
F purchase of 850 Dell desktop computers at $970.43 each, a price reduced from the former quote of $1,027 each.
F selling a 1985 Chevrolet Suburban 4-wheel-drive, nine-passenger vehicle with 104,671 miles. The clutch is broken and it has not been inspected by the state for several years. It will be sold by sealed bid.
F purchasing 300 copies of Glencoe’s “Journey Across Time: Early Ages,” at a cost of approximately $19,400 for use at Lowther North Intermediate School.
F accepting a $6,587 from the Sunflower Foundation for the Outdoor Wildlife and Learning Site walking trail project at Riverside elementary school.
F serving free lunches again this summer to children up to 18 years of age at approved sites in the district, with full reimbursement from the federal nutrition program.
F use of district buses by the Educational Talent Search at Emporia State University and the ESU Summer Sakae Institute.
F a proclamation declaring May 5 as National Teacher Day 2009.