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School board debates merits of new positions, expenses

JANESVILLE — The Janesville School Board is looking for ways to help local taxpayers as the expected hard economic times set in.

That’s why the board spent considerable time Tuesday debating the merits of two administrative positions that Superintendent Tom Evert wanted to create.

The board said no to one new position but yes to the other one.

The approval came even though some board members warned that the district needed to tighten its belt as taxpayers face hard economic times.

Board member Tim Cullen said the area faces losses of tens of millions of dollars in income and the prospect that people won’t be able to pay their taxes.

“We just have to stop doing this (creating new administrative positions) and get real serious, real quick,” Cullen said.

Board President DuWayne Severson also came down on the side of frugality, saying that no one knows how many families might leave, and how that might impact enrollments. Enrollment is a key factor in determining the district’s main sources of income: state aid and local taxes.

The board even might have to cut its budget this fall if enrollment declines, Severson said.

Board member Bill Sodemann agreed for the need to be thrifty, but he noted that the board is constructing a new way to evaluate the superintendent’s performance, and it would be difficult to fault Evert for not measuring up if the board didn’t give him the tools he requested to get the job done.

The proposal to create a half-time position to deal mostly with teacher training was defeated when it failed to get a second in the personnel committee.

But Evert did get what he wanted when the board voted 3-2 to approve a one-year position of “resource teacher” to assist the new principal at Parker High School.

Voting to approve the position were Lori Stottler, Debra Kolste and Sodemann. Cullen and Severson voted no. Kevin Murray and Peggy Sheridan were absent.

The resource teacher was expected to cost $38,000.

Cullen warned that while the costs of these positions were not great, such small expenditures tend to add up.

The board also considered a tax-cutting measure that could have a much greater budget impact.

Sodemann suggested paying off two old bond issues early, using “fund balance,” or money in the budget that is not designated for any particular purpose.

One bond issue would require $800,000 of fund balance. That would save $64,000 in interest payments and reduce the tax levy by $228,600.

Another bond issue payoff would need $1.5 million. That would save $150,000 in interest and reduce the levy by $354,000.

Sodemann said his goal is for a no-increase levy next year.

The board made no decision on paying off the bonds, but the topic is expected to come up at a future board meeting.

SCHOOL BOARD JOB ACTIONS

Here’s a wrap-up of personnel actions by the Janesville School Board on Tuesday:

-- Approved: A “resource teacher” at Parker High School to help the new principal deal with a variety of issues in a year that is expected to be challenging because of construction disruptions. Superintendent Tom Evert said he is looking for a Parker teacher who knows the school and is trusted by staff and administration. The teacher would spend two hours a day on administrative tasks. Cost: $28,000 to pay for a substitute teacher and a $10,000 “stipend” for the resource teacher.

-- Denied: A half-time administrative position, with benefits, to oversee a new teacher-training system and to help with a community-values education project. The temporary position would have been for one year only and cost no more than $41,619.

-- Result: Evert took a suggestion from board member Bill Sodemann and said he would find retired Janesville school administrators to handle the community-values project. The retirees would be those who receive a yearly stipend as part of their retirement package and therefore are obligated to give up to 20 days a year, if asked to do so, to the district.

Evert also said he would assign the teacher-training duties to Director of Instruction Donna Behn and to Rod Montanye, who would have to devote less time to his job of coordinating math and science programs.

-- In other business: The board unanimously approved Steve Salerno as the new director of administrative and human services.