Big Bear News KBHR 93.3 » Budget Cuts

Bear Valley Unified School District Reviews Budget Cuts Previously Approved

Cathy Herrick — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 17:15:23 +0000

Big Bear Lake, CA, July 28, 2010, 10:20am – At the Bear Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees meeting on Wednesday, July 21st, Trustees revisited the previously approved Plan B of the Budget Advisory Committee’s Expenditure Reduction recommendations in order to entertain the possibility of reinstating any of approved cuts previously made. The Board held discussion for about one hour centered on the elementary school strings program that had a budget of $20,000 that was one of the items previously cut from the budget. The board agreed to reinstate the strings program in the amount of $10,000. Sharon Rizzo, the strings instructor, was present at the meeting and she agreed to work on fundraising efforts to raise the additional $10,000 but would also create a second option of a program based on a total $10,000 budget. Additionally, in a 3 to 2 vote, the Board approved an expenditure of $16,000 for the upcoming school year for a Discovery Education program called “Streaming Plus” allowing for streaming of network videos in all BVUSD classrooms to enhance classroom instruction. Last year, Discovery Education offered a 3 to 4 month free trail offer to the schools that was used heavily particularly by the elementary school teachers. In looking ahead to the fiscal solvency for the current and subsequent two fiscal years, the Board signed a resolution to authorize on-going budget reductions, if necessary, in the amount of $358,000 in fiscal years 2011-2012 and in the amount of $420,000 in the fiscal year 2012-2013 to maintain the state required minimum reserve levels for the next three years in the event the cost of living adjustment (known as COLA) figures do not materialize given the uncertainty of the state’s financial position.

Copyright © 2008
This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only.
The use of this feed on other websites breaches copyright. If this content is not in your news reader, it makes the page you are viewing an infringement of the copyright. (Digital Fingerprint:
)

School Board Approves BAC’s Plan B Recommendation, Amounting to Nearly a Million Dollars in Cuts

Catherine Sandstrom — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 21:00:32 +0000

Big Bear Valley, CA — Though it is not yet a done deal, the Board of Trustees for the Bear Valley Unified School District did implement additional cuts to school programs in adopting the fiscal year 2010/2011 budget on June 23. The Board adopted the budget as it was presented to them in a June 21^st budget workshop—and this includes the Budget Advisory Committee’s Plan B recommendation, one of three that received much discussion during the school board’s April 28 budget meeting. As outlined in the Budget Advisory Committee’s Plan B and adopted, an additional $930,000 in cuts will be made to BVUSD; this includes the one percent pay cut taken by classified staff and management, the freeze on certificated staff’s step and column advancement, and seven furlough days for all three groups, amounting to salary reductions of 4½ percent. Additional reductions included in Plan B are as follows: a $55,000 reduction in routine maintenance for BVUSD, $20,000 reduction to school site budgets, a $38,000 reduction to Big Bear High’s athletic travel budget (from what had been $86,000), the elimination of BBMS athletic travel, elimination of the strings program, elimination of the intervention programs (amounting to $200,000), elimination of board stipends, reductions to adult education and the high school exit exam program, the elimination of GATE and two other programs, and a $20,400 reduction to the professional development budget. As explained by the district’s Director of Business Services Walter Con, “There was a lot of discussion about potentially revisiting some of these cuts at the July 7 meeting, in particular the strings program and school realignment.” Superintendent Dr. Nancy Wright will be reconvening the Budget Advisory Committee (comprised of school personnel, union representatives and parent Mary Kelso) as of August, to continue to look for solutions to the funding crisis. But, all told, relays Con, “The outlook for funding to K-12 education remains bleak, and it is most likely the district will have to make additional cuts to maintain fiscal solvency.”

CSD, School Board and BBARWA Hold Meetings Week of June 21

Catherine Sandstrom — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 11:54:59 +0000

Big Bear Valley, CA — East Valley residents will have opportunity to provide public comment on the fiscal year 2010/2011 budget of the Big Bear City Community Services District this evening, as the June 7 meeting of the CSD Board had been adjourned due to lack of a quorum. The district’s investment policy and a proposed resolution, to have delinquent trash and water service fees placed on the tax roll, are also on the agenda for this evening’s 5:30pm meeting, to be held at the CSD offices at 139 E. Big Bear Boulevard in Big Bear City.
Other meetings of this week include the already-noticed meeting of the Bear Valley Unified School District’s Board of Trustees, scheduled to review the budget in a 5:15pm workshop this evening (June 21). The 2010/2011 budget is scheduled for school board adoption on Wednesday; open session for the June 23 meeting at the school district offices on Moonridge Road is scheduled to begin at 6:30pm.
Also on Wednesday, the Governing Board for the Big Bear Area Regional Wastewater Agency meets for their regular monthly meeting at 5pm, at the BBARWA offices located at 121 Palomino Drive in Big Bear City. The BBARWA Board will hear an informational presentation on Load Equalization Basin Feasibility, as well as an informational report on the agency’s investments.

BVUSD’s Management and Unions Agree to Seven Furlough Days in 2010/2011 School Year

Catherine Sandstrom — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 16:00:26 +0000

Big Bear Valley, CA — The Bear Valley Unified School District has come to an agreement with both unions—BVEA, which represents certificated staff members (meaning teachers) and CSEA, the classified employees union (which includes clerical and maintenance personnel)—as of the school district’s special board meeting held this week. As agreed to by both unions, as well as the district’s confidential management employees, all BVUSD staff will have seven furlough days during the 2010/2011 school year, meaning that there will be no school for students or staff and, that said, staff will not be paid for these seven days over the course of the school year, which will still begin on August 3. According to the district’s Director of Personnel Tim Larson, “This is a pretty significant step on the part of all groups.” The financial impact to employees results in about half a percent for each furlough day so, per Larson, the combined result of furlough days implemented in both this current school year and the upcoming school year amounts to an approximate 4½ percent pay cut to all three groups (BVEA, CSEA and management) over the course of two school years. As Larson adds, “We are just hoping this is the last time that the State will impose these deep cuts on our employees and our children.” The final budget for BVUSD’s upcoming school year will be the sole item on the meeting agenda for June 21; an in-depth presentation on the 2010/2011 budget will begin at 5:15pm, in open session, at the school district offices on Moonridge Road, with adoption of this budget planned for the evening of June 23. Larson also tells KBHR that six teachers will be taking retirement incentives at this school year’s end, so that will allow for the rehiring of six teachers from the re-hire list. Those whose retirement notifications have already been announced are teachers Priscilla Alexander, Joyce Carlson, Teresa Lynch, and Mary and Sam Marich; the four teachers who have since been re-hired to continue with BVUSD are Suzy Carpenter, Rachel Edwards, Amy Ellis and Susan Iles.

BVUSD’s Trustees and Unions Agree on Furlough Day; Students to Get Bonus Day Off on Friday of Memorial Day Weekend

Catherine Sandstrom — Thu, 20 May 2010 20:54:52 +0000

Big Bear Valley, CA — Students of the Bear Valley Unified School District will get a four-day weekend over the Memorial Day holiday, given a furlough day approval voted upon by the school district’s Board of Trustees in their meeting last night (May 19). In support of the financial challenges to the school district, both the certificated and classified unions agreed to one furlough day for this current school year; the agreement was offered during ongoing contract negotiations, and then agreed upon by the Board, which will translate to a cost savings to the district, and a bonus day off for students on Friday, May 28. Negotiations for the upcoming school year do continue between the unions, BVEA and CSEA, and district administration—and progress is said to be very collaborative and positive–and should be ratified on or before May 26, allowing for the school board to make final budget cut determinations on their meeting of June 4. In other news from the Wednesday meeting of BVUSD, the agenda item regarding kindergarten realignment was pulled, to allow for additional information as well as input from stakeholders. A “realignment” of the kindergarten program at Baldwin Lane, Big Bear and North Shore Elementaries may translate to reinstating the am/pm schedule, which BVUSD has not implemented in the last few school years.
Just a reminder, BVUSD students are on an early-out schedule on Friday, May 21. Big Bear Middle School students will be released at 11:46am, Big Bear High School students will be released at noon, North Shore Elementary students will be released at 12:20pm, Big Bear Elementary students will be released at 12:40pm, and Baldwin Lane Elementary students will be released at 12:55pm.

School Board Votes to Accept Budget Reduction Plans A, B and C, But Move to Hold on Final Decision Until June 4

Catherine Sandstrom — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 20:56:09 +0000

Wednesday’s meeting of the Board of Trustees for the Bear Valley Unified School District, for which itemized budget cuts of nearly one million dollars were on the agenda, opened with public comment, which several Big Bear High School students took advantage of. First among those to the podium for the meeting at Big Bear Middle School was sophomore Nadia Jenkins, who spoke of her dream to be a doctor and her hopes that BVUSD would continue the French language program. “I’ve tried online programs for language learning,” she said, “and it’s not the same not to have a relationship with a teacher.” In response to this, BVUSD’s Director of Personnel Tim Larson shared the good news, announcing, “We will have a French program at the high school—a condensed one, but the exciting news is there will be a French program.”
Additional public comment included a plea for the elementary strings program, which includes 75 students at three schools, and support for the Trustees—President Beverly Grabe, Randall Putz, Debra Sarkisian, Ken Turney and Paul Zamoyta—during the difficult funding crisis at the state level, which has resulted in the need for an additional $980,000 in cuts over this school year and next, in order to keep BVUSD from bankruptcy. As noted by a grateful Raven Uhler, the high school’s ASB President, “You’ve made some very difficult decisions and I support you 100%. I really appreciate you guys, and you deserve to know you’ve made a difference in my life.”
On the table for Trustees’ approval were three budget recommendation plans submitted by the Budget Advisory Committee, for which Superintendent Dr. Nancy Wright is the non-voting chair (however, she was not present for the April 28 meeting, due to a family emergency). “All facets were represented,” said the district’s Director of Business Services Walter Con of the BAC, “and everyone who wanted to be heard was heard.” Still, as far as budget cuts, Con paraphrased BAC parent representative Mary Kelso when noting, “We’ve already picked the low hanging fruit.”
So, Plans B and C of the budget committee call for the elimination or reduction of many programs, among those elementary strings, athletic travel budgets, board stipends, intervention and GATE programs, and budgets for maintenance and school sites. However, the just-announced agreement with BVEA, the teachers’ union, adding one furlough day to this school year, does allow a little wiggle room with funding cuts, which prompted a thank you from the district’s Larson.
President Grabe opened the cut adoption discussion with, “Plan A and B both depend on negotiations. We can’t make a decision on money that might or might not occur.” True, ongoing negotiations with both BVEA and CSEA, the classified staff union, continue through May 19, so the Plan A of an across-the-board salary cut of 10-16% can not yet be counted on as a funding solution until those negotiations are complete; Plan B includes the prospect of $522,000 in cuts through additional furloughs and salary reductions of potentially one percent. The school board discussed the idea of accepting the budget cut recommendations, with Zamoyta suggesting, “Depending on how negotiations go, other funding sources go, all of this can be rescinded.” Trustees Sarkisian and Grabe hoped to keep the strings program intact–on a reduced budget of $12,000 (rather than $20,000) as presented by strings teacher Sharon Rizzo—though, as a group, they wanted to hold on implementation of any cuts until the union negotiations are ratified on or before May 26 and the May Revised Budget available on May 21.
So, in a unanimous vote, the school board moved to accept Plans A, B and C and, once negotiations are complete, they will reconvene on June 4 to determine if Plan A (outlining salary rollbacks) is feasible, otherwise Plan B with program cuts plus $522,000 in negotiated items will be implemented; if neither of these can be achieved, Plan C will be adopted, as Plan C incorporates 13 program, department budget and transportation cuts, in addition to the need for an additional $522,000 in layoffs and management concessions.
Update: Per BVUSD on June 2, the school board will not be making final budget cut determinations on June 4; no meeting date has yet been set.

BVUSD's Board of Trustees Ken Turney, Debra Sarkisian, Beverly Grabe, Randall Putz and Paul Zamoyta, during last night's school board meeting in the new BBMS cafeteria, are faced with some tough decisions as they try to eliminate $980,000 from BVUSD's budget through the 2010/2011 school year. As Walter Con, the district's Director of Business Services, said, "We're running out of things to cut; we're getting so close to the bone, there's no meat left."

Lighthouse Project Hosts May 5 Community Forum to Address Public Education Funding Crisis

Catherine Sandstrom — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 21:25:49 +0000

Big Bear Lake, CA — In furthering their efforts to foster a child-honoring community, the Lighthouse Project is hosting a community forum to address opportunities to alleviate crisis for our public schools. On Wednesday, May 5, from 6 to 8pm, all interested community members are invited to participate in the forum at Community Church by the Lake (on the Boulevard at Knickerbocker in Big Bear Lake); the purpose of the forum, per the Lighthouse’s Program Coordinator Beth Gardner, is to marshal support for schools and children as we navigate through the current public education funding crisis. After a brief general session, attendees will be split into small, facilitated focus groups, the results of which will be shared with Bear Valley Unified’s Superintendent Dr. Nancy Wright. Participants will also have the opportunity to contribute to a videotaped message which will be forwarded to government officials in Sacramento and Washington DC. According to Gardner, “The children of our community have never needed us more. Because of our geographic isolation, it is imperative that all of our children have ready access to schools in the area that provide excellent programs and education to prepare them for their future. Their future is truly our future. On May 5, we hope to see a magnificent turnout worthy of our special community.” RSVPs are requested for this event; to do so, please call the Lighthouse Project at 888/906-9998.

School Board Scheduled to Take Action on Budget Cut Recommendations This Evening

Catherine Sandstrom — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 13:37:09 +0000

Big Bear Lake, CA — The Board of Trustees for the Bear Valley Unified School District has a big decision before them this evening, as they vote on budget cut recommendations from the Budget Advisory Committee. There are three plan suggestions on the table, in an effort to cut an additional $980,000 in spending for this school year and next. Plan A outlines salary rollbacks of 10-16%; the Plan B budget recommendation includes elimination of the GATE program, a reduction to Big Bear High School athletic travel, the elimination of athletic travel for the middle school, the elimination of intervention programs, reductions to maintenance and site budgets, and the elimination of the strings program, in addition to other items; and Plan C incorporates Plan B, plus additional layoffs for BVUSD personnel. This evening’s meeting of the school board takes place in the new cafeteria at Big Bear Middle School, and open session is scheduled to begin at 6:30pm.

DWP, School Board and BBARWA Meet This Week, Among Other Agencies

Catherine Sandstrom — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 18:34:39 +0000

Big Bear Valley, CA — This being the fourth week of the month, a number of regular government meetings are scheduled to take place. In addition to this evening’s City Council meeting and tomorrow morning’s San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors meeting, the Board of Commissioners for the Department of Water and Power convene at 9am Tuesday; the April 27 DWP meeting, to be held at their offices at 41972 Garstin Drive, will include review of TRT Committee recommendations and a review of the draft budget for the upcoming fiscal year. Though not their regularly scheduled meeting, the Healthcare District Board meets at 6:30pm Tuesday for a business meeting, during which time the creation of a new Chief Operating Officer position will be discussed. On Wednesday the 28th, the Governing Board for the Big Bear Area Regional Wastewater Agency meets at the BBARWA facility in Big Bear City at 5pm. Also on Wednesday, the much anticipated meeting of the Board of Trustees for Bear Valley Unified School District takes place; the open session portion of the meeting, to be held at 6:30pm at Big Bear Middle School, is agendized to include action on budget cut recommendations. The Big Bear Municipal Water District also meets this week, for a special meeting on Friday at 9:30am, to conduct a special workshop regarding lake management master planning.

Community Members, Including Students, Comment on Budget Cut Recommendations; BVUSD’s School Board to Vote in Two Weeks

Catherine Sandstrom — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 21:00:50 +0000

Big Bear Lake, CA — During last night’s school board meeting, the final budget cut recommendations from Bear Valley Unified’s Budget Advisory Committee were presented to the five-member Board of Trustees, though a vote on these suggestions will not be taken until the April 28 meeting. Community members, including students from Big Bear High School, took advantage of the opportunity to comment during the April 14 meeting, campaigning for the continuation of the French program and in favor of saving teaching positions. Attendees also spoke both for and against across-the-board cuts, which is the Plan A presented by the Budget Advisory Committee. As finalized in their meeting of Monday, the BAC proposed that, to retain fiscal solvency for BVUSD, a salary rollback of 10-16% be implemented for management (which includes district administrative personnel and school site principals), in addition to the negotiation of a salary rollback of 10-16% for both certificated and classified bargaining units; this portion of Plan A cannot be mandated and, at present, negotiations with BVEA (the teachers union) and CSEA (representing classified staff) are underway and will continue into next week. The Budget Advisory Committee will be having another as-yet-unscheduled meeting to address some of the verbage attached to the reduction plans, though the specifics of Plans A, B and C have not changed. Should the school board opt not to go with the salary rollbacks of Plan A–which would result in a savings of at least $1.4 million (in light of the $980,000 that needs to be cut from spending for this school year and next)–the Plan B budget recommendation includes elimination of the GATE program, a reduction to Big Bear High School athletic travel, the elimination of athletic travel for the middle school, the elimination of intervention programs, reductions to maintenance and site budgets, and the elimination of the strings program, in addition to other items. Plan C incorporates Plan B, plus additional layoffs for BVUSD personnel.
Update: The Budget Advisory Committee meeting, which will include discussion and consensus on language for budget reduction recommendations, will be held on Tuesday, April 20 at 6pm at the school district offices on Moonridge Road.