Round two was a lot like round one, just with less people in the room.
The Coupeville School Board held a second budget workshop Wednesday, a day before its regularly scheduled monthly meeting.
The first go-round last week attracted an audience of 11 to watch Superintendent Steve King and Finance Director Brian Gianello present the proposed 2023-2024 budget.
This time around, there were three Coupeville Educational Support Association (CESA) union members and one sports blogger in attendance as the five board members peppered the duo with questions.
It all sets up Thursday’s marquee event, which is the official budget hearing and offers board members their first chance to vote on the budget.
Everything begins at 5:30 PM in the Kathleen Anderson Board Room (#305) at the district office, which sits right in front of Coupeville High School at 501 S. Main.
Unlike the workshops, Thursday’s meeting comes with live mics for board members, a full agenda, opportunity for public comment, and video streaming.
Hopefully.
The district sent out an email raising the possibility streaming may have issues with tech master Will Smith being on vacation.
“We will still provide streaming with the link and call-in instruction on the agenda,” Steve King said.
“But given the circumstances our video and audio may not be as effective as it usually is.”
That agenda can be found here:
https://go.boarddocs.com/wa/coupeville/Board.nsf/Public
Wednesday’s workshop came after the district released a revised budget (Version 4.0) at 11:30 PM Tuesday.
The short turnaround, which continues a trend of requiring board members to crunch endless pages of numbers in a very short period of time, is something those directors want to see changed.
“This is a process which could have been better handled on a year-round basis,” Alison Perera said.
“We need to standardize things, so we all have the same information, and the time to properly deal with that information,” added Sherry Phay.
All five board members balanced their comments, praising Gianello for his work on the budget after replacing the recently retired Denise Peet.
But they also stood firm that they need more time in the future to properly do their own share of the work.
“I am sympathetic to the situation Brian is in,” said board member Nancy Conard, who was Coupeville’s Finance Director for many years.
“But we need to improve how we, as a district, handle our financial reporting. And we need to have more lead time in the future to get all of our concerns answered.
“I want to see us proceed with extreme caution on this budget, and the next one, so we can have a true level of confidence in what we are doing.”
Gianello, who arrived in Coupeville after a stint as Finance Director for the La Conner School District, agreed with board members in general terms, and pledged to do his best to keep them abreast of his work.
“I feel really good about this version of the budget,” he said.
“I took your questions (from the first workshop) and talked to the state, and I think we’ve addressed many of your concerns.”
The proposed budget as it stands shows projected revenues of $18,443,000 for 2023-2024, with expenses of $18,438,027, giving Coupeville an excess of revenues of $4,973.
Wednesday’s workshop included much back-and-forth over how those projections could, or could not, play out.
Conard pointed to a line in the budget projecting the school’s Connected Food Program will generate a $50,000 revenue spike in “local money” thanks to the state legislature providing funding for elementary school breakfast and lunch.
“How is that possible, when breakfast is free for the students?” she asked. “Who’s paying? Where is that additional money coming from?”
“Um … staff sales, maybe?” was Gianello’s response after some paper shuffling, which received an arched eyebrow in response.
That exchange, while civil, captures the main difference between administrators, who appear to view the budget as a work in progress designed to give them the ability to make financial decisions, and board members, who want a more concrete document.
All agree that the ever-changing world has an impact, though there are differences of opinion on how to handle outside influences.
The loss of Covid-era ESSER funds hurts, as does larger-than-expected jumps in things such as insurance and food costs.
On the other hand, projections show Coupeville’s student count likely rising, which would provide more money for the district.
Availability of grants is also on the rise, Gianello said, though he agreed with multiple board members who pointed out you can’t count your grants before they hatch.
One thing that is for certain is that budget cuts will happen Thursday if the board approves the budget as is.
King was given sole discretion to cut up to $1.45 million after the board approved a Modified Education Plan in April.
This was in response to the general fund balance dipping well below 6% of the budget year’s expenditures.
As of June 21, the last time the cut list was updated, King had trimmed $1.269 million, and that list can be found here:
https://www.coupeville.k12.wa.us/Page/300
There is one change likely coming to that list, as King told board members the district will eliminate two teaching positions, and not four as originally planned.
Those cuts were by attrition, but increased class size requires more teachers at the elementary school level.
There are several new teacher hires on the consent agenda for Thursday’s meeting.
If approved, those jobs will still represent savings for Coupeville, King said, as the new teachers come in lower on the pay scale than the ones who retired.
Unless board members make their own counter moves, the other reductions, which include cutting Dean of Students Tom Black and Athletic Trainer Jessica Caselden and trimming paraeducator hours, go into effect with approval of the budget.
And those cuts likely won’t be the end.
“We’re likely just beginning with cuts,” King said. “Everyone is.
“With (the) McCleary (decision raising teacher pay) and Covid, and rising costs, the system is failing us; it’s not sustainable. Going forward, schools are likely looking at significant cuts.
“It’s not just a one-time thing.”
However Thursday plays out, and the months and years to come, board members seem united in one thing.
They understand the impact of a pandemic, of the legislature failing to keep promises, and of the ebb and flow of student counts.
They’re willing to give King and Gianello an opportunity to make their case, but want everyone — board members, administration, employees, parents, and students — to work towards one goal.
“It’s not just about keeping spending in check, fixing things for a day,” Alison Perera said.
“It’s about finding long term financial stability.”
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