Where there is a deficit, there are budget cuts.

On March 2, during a DeKalb District 428 School Board meeting, the board heard a presentation from Mike Frances, a senior financial adviser for Prudent Man Advisors, Inc. Frances told the board that, as of now, the district is looking at a $1.5 million deficit heading into the next fiscal year.

With two new schools being built, this is obviously a concern for the district.

Russ Fletcher, community school and relations liaison for the district, said the board is looking at different programs and purchases, and will try to cut costs without jeopardizing the quality of education the students receive.

One way the district will try to save money, Fletcher said, is to open bids to companies for contracts at the new Cortland elementary and DeKalb high school.

“The district is working to obtain bids under the budgeted amounts in every category,” Fletcher said. “The bids for Cortland Elementary School have all been at or under expected levels.”

Fletcher also said the district is looking at other expenditures for next year and will evaluate what can be eliminated from the budget.

“District 428 is in the process of reviewing all purchasing processes for fiscal year 2010,” he said, “and expects to eliminate all building level capital outlay allocations, decrease legal fees, lower Early Retirement Option payments, decrease building and department supply budgets, eliminate capital outlay building improvements, lower snow removal and landscaping expenses and reduce several staffing positions.”

Superintendent Jim Briscoe said the district will not renew first-year elementary teachers, which will also save money.

“We won’t know elementary enrollment figures until late June or later,” Briscoe said. “If we don’t have the classes, we can’t afford the teachers.”

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