The Frankfort-Schuyler school board wants to save money during this year’s budget process.
But, with contractual costs rising and state aid shrinking, they’re being forced to look at everything from cutting select sports programs to lowering the thermostat a few degrees in the winter.
The board learned Tuesday what it would take to cut 20 percent from the district’s custodial and athletic budgets. District Business Administrator Christopher Abdoo at the board’s request had worked with the two department heads to show the impact of making the reduction.
For athletics, which has a current budget of close to $212,000, it would mean shaving off nearly $42,000, Abdoo said.
Possible ways to reach the goal included:
• No longer offering bowling, golf, wrestling and cheerleading programs in the district.
• Having students pay for equipment costs, such as shin pads in soccer and kneepads in volleyball.
The custodial, or operations and maintenance, budget is close to $1.7 million, and would need to cut close to $248,000, Abdoo said.
Suggested cuts included:
• Reducing cleaning and maintenance equipment, and supplies.
• Lowering the heat from 68 degrees to 65 degrees, which is lowest allowed by the state.
• Cutting hours, or number, of custodial staff.
Abdoo said the proposals are all just first suggestions. They were collected to give board members a better grasp of their options before getting into the instructional and insurance line items, which makes up close to 75 percent of the entire budget.
He declined to give overall budget figures, saying the larger portions of the budget will be presented at a board meeting Monday, March 22 at 7 p.m.
Board members, led by Jack Bono, did not like the idea of cutting sports programs.
Abdoo explained why each of the sports had been selected during his meetings with athletic director, Jeffrey LaGase.
LaGase declined in a phone interview to elaborate on the meetings.
The wrestling and cheerleading programs have low participation figures, Abdoo said.
Only four students participated in wrestling last year. And while there were 18 cheerleaders in the fall season, there were not enough cheerleaders to field a winter squad.
Bowling and golf are under consideration because they are “life long” sports, Abdoo said. They are both sports the students can do on their own time, whereas, other sports are only available in high school, he said, “you only have one chance to play competitive football.”
But Bono, and other board members, instructed Abdoo to research possible ways to cut 20 percent in all of the sports’ budgets. Bono said this option is the most “fair.”
It is also difficult to do away with sports that continue to win championships and have steady participation, Superintendent Robert Reina added. A wrestler, — Hank Penree — won a state championship in 2008 and bowling just won a sectional title, he said.
Gary Cioch, coach of the boys and girls bowling teams, was not surprised to hear of his sport being discussed for termination.
“They tried to do away with it once before,” he said, “and all the parents went down there in an uproar and [the board] reinstated it.”
Cioch feels bowling is brought up because “it’s not one of the big sports,” as it doesn’t bring in any money or have regional support. “I tell the parents and kids it’s pretty much always on the chopping blocks for that reason,” he said.
As for cuts in cleaning and maintenance, Abdoo told board members the district would be able to operate.
But maintenance techniques would possibly have to change if unforeseen equipment problems arose.
For an example, Abdoo said if a truck attachment that spreads sand in the parking lots were to break down the district would not be able to replace it. An alternative is available, though. Abdoo said the crew could have two guys stand on the back of the truck and shovel out the sand.
The cleanliness of each building would also suffer under a reduced budget, limiting the staffs frequency of cleaning each building.
“You wouldn’t see the same degree of shine and polish,” Abdoo said.
Participation by sport, at all levels in the district combined, according to school officials:
• Football, 72
• Basketball, boys and girls, 46 each
• Girls volleyball, 47
• Bowling, boys and girls, 23 total.
• Wrestling, 4
• Baseball, 57
• Softball, 41
• Girls track, 40, boys track, 33
• Golf, 18
• Girls soccer, 35, boys soccer, 37
• Cheerleading, 18 in fall, no winter team
