The Monona Grove School District recently held held their annual meeting. Typically these are sparsely attended and uneventful. This years was slightly different. It started out with a rundown of the financial situation of the MGSD and while it is not “doom and gloom”(the mill rate is slightly decreasing), its close(thanks to the republicans of WI).
The district’s enrollment of resident students saw a flat increase, going from 2,860 in 2010 to 2,862 in 2011. However, the district saw an increase of more than 200 non-resident students open enrolling into Monona Grove schools. The district receives an additional $6,700 per student that open enrolls to Monona Grove schools, and is able to use those additional funds to offset the budget.
The revenue limits were set by the legislature in 1993, and are generally indexed up to account for some level of cost increases. However, this year’s allowable per pupil increase is actually a decrease for Monona Grove in the amount of $605.57 per pupil.
“This year, enrollment and revenue limit are equaled out,” Rossing said. He added he is expecting a $1.6 million decrease in state equalized aid, because Monona Grove is considered a property rich district.
“Our budget is only increasing by .77 percent. Our expenditures such as utilities increased by 5 percent, 7 percent, health insurance by 9 percent,” Rossing said. “The district has worked very hard [to balance the budget]. We had to cut $811,000 out of the budget to get to the balanced budget tonight.”Last year, the district cut $929,531 from the budget. “It’s definitely changing the way we’re educating our students,” Rossing said.
“We are seeing a reduction in the tax levy, but there are revenue limits,” Gerlach said. “We’re taxing to the max. We cannot exceed that limit.”
The electors present at Wednesday’s meeting unanimously approved the tax levy in the total amount of $23,441,951, consisting of a general fund levy in the amount of $18,443,897; a debt service fund tax levy in the amount of $4,752,814 and non-referendum debt obligations of $271,036; and a community services fund tax levy in the amount of $245,240.
Then the meeting got as exciting as an annual meeting can get. The discussion turned to what we are going to do with Maywood(lease?) and Nichols School(Lease or sell?). The School board and superintendent felt if they were to get approval from the electorate, they would be able to bargain from a position of strength.
“There is no formal proposal at this point, but we have been talking about it with the last couple months,” Superintendent Gerlach said. “They would use it as a school for a certain amount of time. When that expires, we’ll be able to return back to use it as a school as in years past.”
Gerlach added any proposals to lease Maywood would go before the board in open meetings to garner public discussion.
Well not everyone was in agreement, former appointed Village President and far right Rep. Steve Nass\'s right hand , Mike Mikalsen had other ideas.
The question is why?
We know It is not about the children. Mr. Mikalsen has proven over and over and over and over, that democracy is not a priority. Maybe it is an honest mistake and you can attribute it to his lack of business/economic knowledge. As Monona Mayor Bob Miller said:
Monona Mayor Bob Miller echoed earlier comments made by Gerlach, saying it was difficult to get someone to come with a proposal without the board having the authority to act on it.
“It’s economic suicide,” Miller said.
Or Maybe Mikalsen has his sights set on running again. County Board? School Board? Village Board? and wants to come across as someone who cares about the children, the taxpayers and democracy and not focus on his true far right fringe beliefs. Stay Tuned!
