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District 544 cutting $2.3m from budget
Move designed to get schools out of debt
Published Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Budget cuts, long-term planning and conservative budgeting: These are all part of a plan by the Fergus Falls school board to improve the district’s financial health in the next two years. That plan will kick into gear this year with over $2.3 million in cuts to staff, programs and more. An additional $1 million in cuts will be necessary the following year, as well.
Board members approved the district’s Statutory Operating Debt (SOD) plan Monday, a state-required effort to combat a fund balance deficit of 6.6 percent.
All Minnesota districts with a deficit exceeding 2.5 percent are required to submit a SOD plan for approval by the Department of Education before Jan. 30.
This plan is to detail information such as school district setting, student achievement and the specific reasons why SOD occurred.
Perhaps most importantly, it outlines how the district will get out of debt in the next two to three years.
The Fergus Falls plan was written by Superintendent Jerry Ness, Business Manager Mark Masten and members of the school board. According to the report, a number of factors have played into the district’s debt: declining enrollment, inefficient facilities, decreasing special education funding and contract settlements that have not aligned with aid provided by the state.
With competition from surrounding districts, the report states, Fergus Falls administrators have also felt pressure to keep class sizes small. Over the past 10 years, the number of teachers has not declined as much as the number of students, resulting in a low pupil/staff ratio and low productivity in economic terms.
This is why instruction is included in the $2.36 million in cuts the district plans to make before the start of the next school year.
“We’ve kind of outlined where those cuts will come from,” Ness said, referring to areas like programs, curriculum and technical supplies, building utilities and special education.
Yet the specifics of those cuts will not be determined until around March, Ness said. How much the district cuts from each area is still flexible, he said, “but for the most part, we’ve got to stick with that ($2.36 million) number.”
According to the report, the cuts, along with a focus on the long-term and a commitment to conservative budgeting, “will serve to insulate the school district from unexpected budgeting problems that may arise, while still allowing it to eliminate its fund balance deficit.”
Ness said the district will host a forum to discuss the SOD plan and budget cuts this spring. In the meantime, the SOD will be available on www.fergusfalls.k12.mn.us following its approval by the Minnesota Department of Education.
Comments
The Daily Journal is happy to host community conversations about news and life in Fergus Falls and the surrounding area. As hosts, we expect guests will show respect for each other. That means we don't threaten or defame each other, and we keep conversations free of personal attacks. Witty is great. Abusive is not. If you think a post violates these standards, don't escalate the situation. Instead, flag the comment to alert us. We'll take action if necessary. It's not hard. This should be a place where people want to read and contribute -- a place for spirited exchanges of opinion. So those who persist with racist, defamatory or abusive postings risk losing the privilege to post at all.Posted by toad3 (anonymous) on January 15, 2008 at 12:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Lets bite the bullet and take a pay cut Jerry, remember it's for the kids!
Posted by JL (anonymous) on January 15, 2008 at 1:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
What is going to happen to the 544 district. You can only cut so much before it will just have to be one building for all students. I thought this was 2008 not 1960's no wonder so many parents are moving their children out of this district. These kids are going to have nothing in the school by the time the budget is done being cut.
Posted by chipmunk (anonymous) on January 15, 2008 at 1:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Wrong, JL, Jerry Ness will be there.
Posted by byteme (anonymous) on January 15, 2008 at 2:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Don't worry the new building is going to "SAVE" us so much money we won't have to worry about cutting. The new building will enable us to intergrate technology better into the classroom. We all know they basically give computers away now days and it's practically free to support them. Right???
Posted by Clara (anonymous) on January 15, 2008 at 2:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Why should the Superintendent take a pay cut? It's not his fault the taxpayers are too short-sighted and CHEAP to build a new school. Remember, as the school goes, so goes the town.
With regard to the worn-out, used up buildings; it's like putting lipstick on a pig. It's still a pig.
Posted by Paul (anonymous) on January 15, 2008 at 3:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Why shouldn’t he take a pay cut along with everyone else Clara. Why should it ALWAYS be the little guy, like the janitors who take a pay cut. I think the teachers just agreed to freeze portions of their pay. But not the richest person in the system oh no, not him, he is an executive. How about we put some lipstick on you Clara, you would still be stupid.
Posted by steve1955 (anonymous) on January 15, 2008 at 3:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
As the school goes, so goes the town? What a moron, what about towns that don’t have a school? Where do they go. Those building are not worn out and used up, they have been neglected on purpose so the taxpayers would be forced to build a new one to make the resume of school superintends look better and so school board member will get their name on a brass plaque on the new school.
Posted by Mel (anonymous) on January 15, 2008 at 4:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
steve1955, you are right on. A+++.
Now, do as most govt agencies do, cut what will be the most noticed, then next time they get the $$$$$$$$$$$!
Worn-out, used up buildings? Where? The court house? First Lutheran? Your house? etc. etc.
How many have any idea how much MN spends on education? Can you say TAXE$!
Posted by chipmunk (anonymous) on January 15, 2008 at 4:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
We will never know if we needed a new school or not because we were lied to at every step along the way. My wife and I took the guided tour of the school before the previous vote. Our guide, the director of maintenance, guided our group to point in a connecting hallway and said “look at this” as he pounded on the gypsum board wall which shook like it was ready to fall. I said “what’s your point?” he said “This wall is ready to fall down” I explained to our guide that there were several former students in the group and that we all knew there was a solid brick wall behind that dry wall, and all he had to do to prove it was to walk to the nearest window and look back on the outside of the wall. Next we were escorted to a “typical” class room so full of desks a cat would have had difficulty navigating a turn., and told this was an average classroom. The amazing thing was that the adjoining classrooms (which they did not want us to see) were about half as full of desks as the typical room. It makes one wonder if some desks were moved around. If tax payers can not trust those dishing out so called facts, it’s not their fault when referendums fail.
Posted by American (anonymous) on January 15, 2008 at 4:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Let's see, didn't we just get a notice that increases what we pay for taxes to District 544, and then they cut the budget by $2.3 million this year and at least 1 million next year. I wonder who the Fox in the Henhouse is.
Posted by ffprofessor (anonymous) on January 15, 2008 at 4:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
There exists within Fergus Falls a group of people who believe that if one is against extravagant and frivolous building projects one must be against an adequate education for their child. The Hillcrest academy
is an example that such arguments are false. Part of a basic education should be to teach children to take care and maintain what they have so unnecessary replacement does not become commonplace.
Posted by OldHippy (anonymous) on January 15, 2008 at 5:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
For a long time FF has been at the bottom in terms of dollar support for local education. Years and years. The increase we voted on doesn't even get us up close to middle of the pack as far as communities and schools our size. Plain and simple, this is an old, dieing town that doesn't care if the schools go away. Last one out, turn out the lights.
Posted by ffprofessor (anonymous) on January 15, 2008 at 5:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Thanks OldHippy, you prove my point. It's all about the amount of money you can throw at the problem
Posted by otfan12 (anonymous) on January 15, 2008 at 5:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I just want to hear why people in Fergus Falls are SO against change? You complain about Arby's, you complain about Walgreens, you complain about the school! I know the school is a continuing issue.
If we do not have change the town will dry up, I think Clara was right about that. If we don't improve the schools then the education goes down, as does the rest of the town.
Posted by outdrs04 (anonymous) on January 15, 2008 at 6:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I hope that people don't take the daily gripers' comments seriously. Read the negative people's comments. Look at yesterday's negative comments, see tomorrow's negative comments. They're all the same people who never ask for the truth from the people who can give it to them. They vent and make it look like they know everything about every article, and they don't like the people who can shed light on the answers. It's sad.
Here's how things work: You vote no for the schools then you can't fix them. You vote no on building new ones for too many years, then they fall apart and you need them more than you did before.
If you build new schools, you get new and nice houses, more taxpayers, etc.
I grew up near Alexandria when it was small and Fergus was bigger than Alex. Fergus was a good place to shop. Alex said no to building too many years and the community didn't grow as much for a while. They finally said yes to an elementary school when 5th and 6th graders were going to the high school too long. New developments went up on that end of town. After having classes in the library and custodian closets they finally built a middle school. Houses went up there. Construction permits went up for housing and schools making it more tempting for businesses to come. Now compare Alex to Fergus.
As far as negotations are concerned, Superintendent Jerry Ness is a superintendent and not a teacher. Teachers have contract negotiations at different times than non-certified staff, administration, etc. Superintendent Jerry Ness came in at a time most people would rather avoid. He came when the voters were still saying no, and at a time when it was obvious we would be entering the Statutory Operating Debt that is very challenging to face. He had to face all those people saying negative things about our schools and taxes while having to decide which teachers to cut since the taxpayers kept saying no to funding the operating costs of the schools. His job is not easy. Does he get paid a lot compared to teachers? Yes. Does he get paid enough to put up with SOD, telling good teachers they should look for a job, and still face the grief from taxpayers complaining their low taxes aren't low enough for their own interests? It's a good thing he loves Fergus and his job because I can assure you he does not get paid what he deserves. The teachers don't get paid what they deserve, either, but that's what too many of the taxpayers said they wanted.
Hopefully the addition to the middle school and the newer businesses will be a start to something greater. Hopefully the true supporters of our community will be heard more than the ones pulling it back. Things are starting to turn around thanks to a lot of people putting in a lot of effort who do something when they see a need for improvements.
Posted by toad3 (anonymous) on January 15, 2008 at 7:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
outdrs04, you must be a teacher or married to one.
Posted by chipmunk (anonymous) on January 15, 2008 at 8:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Outdrs04, you got your school now you can live with the bitching. I personally don’t care if you like it or not, I pay my taxes and I can complain and be negative if I want. Every time someone complains on this site, the apologists’ for Fergus Falls come out of the woodwork, usually it turns out you have some sort of financial interest to be gained at the taxpayers expense. Get used to it, the lies told to build the school will divide this town for many years to come. When the bills for cost overruns and other unanticipated cost come due you won’t be around or you will be using some other name by that time. When the structure is finally complete and we still pump out class after class of illiterate kids, you and yours will be there on the sidelines pumping your fists for another new school. See if you can get this through your thick skull, A NEW SCHOOL BUILDING DOES NOT MAKE SMARTER STUDENTS, IF IT DID THE GRADUATES FROM HILLCREST WOULD BE THE DUMBEST KIDS ON THE BLOCK. Fergus Falls voters would have approved nearly any amount of money if it were put to use to improve the EDUCATION of students. Those same voter concluded that swimming pools and hockey rinks and elaborate office suites for administrators did not and does not improve the basic education and critical thinking of students. You are proof of that. Your argument that building new schools begat new housing is too specious to consider responding. Lastly, you are the very person the guided tour I took was designed for, someone who won’t look behind the wall.
Posted by lenny (anonymous) on January 15, 2008 at 8:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Hey Clara, oink.
Posted by sweetpea (anonymous) on January 15, 2008 at 8:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Outdrs04, loved your silly post. I bet there are people sitting behind their computers all over Fergus Falls laughing their butts off. If you could keep a straight face while writing it and really believed it you need serious help. I don’t mean the kind you can get here in Fergus, you need to contact the Mayo in Rochester.
Tell me what taxpayer said they wanted teachers to get paid less.?
Posted by fffoodcritic (anonymous) on January 15, 2008 at 9:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Although the school system here and nation wide is not a restaurant with bad food, there are similarities. Each and every year American student fail academically when compared with students from many other nations. The answer from Fergus Falls intelligentsia is to construct a new building. Just as bad food from a poorly run restaurant is not improved with a new building, failing grades are not improved with a new building. Neither will improve until the basic recipe is changed.
Posted by andtongs (anonymous) on January 15, 2008 at 9:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
If some of you Fergus haters had gone to some of the committee meetings on the school referendum before the vote you would know the facts and could have been part of the process.
Posted by chipmunk (anonymous) on January 15, 2008 at 10:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I went to one of those so called committee meetings. It was led by a so-called facilitator who pushed the conversation in the direction of those wanting a new school, anyone who had a contrary opinion was told to “refrain from personal agendas”. The committee was filled with the polished wives of Fergus elites who never hit a lick of work in their lives, but found personal fulfillment by lending their critical talents to various civic betterment committees and had “discussed these matters earlier at the rotary meeting and all agreed that it would be just ducky if Fergus had a new school”. “It’s for the children you know”.
Posted by otfan12 (anonymous) on January 15, 2008 at 11:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
If it's not for the children then who is it for? Do any of you have children, grandchildren, family, neighbors who go to the Fergus schools? Why do we have NO town support in furthering the schools? I don't get it...when did education become a bad thing?
Posted by Jerry (anonymous) on January 15, 2008 at 11:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)
If having a new building has so much to do with a good education, why is it that parochial schools provide a superior education without multi-million dollar buildings? Could it be that receiving a good education has more to do with parental guidance, discipline,and teaching the 3-R's, and has less to do with $300 tennis shoes, meaningless classes for credits, and sports? I'm just asking! Before you ask, my whole family went to public school.
Posted by chipmunk (anonymous) on January 16, 2008 at 7:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)
You are right otfan12, you don’t get it. No one said education was a bad thing. People are saying that extravagant building projects are not education, your side always equates buildings with education. The taxpayers simply wanted the administration to maintain the current buildings and put money into real efforts to make kids smarter and more competitive. Your side never wants to acknowledge that our position has merit when the proof is just across town where the Hillcrest academe still makes excellent use of an old building that they have taken care to maintain and preserve like there were no taxpayers to foot the bill. If Hillcrest can do it the administration could have done the same, if they cared to. But there was no incentive to do it when they can slack off and then go to the taxpayers after they have purposely allowed things to go to hell. Another thing that still angers people on our side is the arrogant attitude displayed by those favoring a new building. That being that anyone against the project was a red neck Neanderthal who hated kids, had no kids, hated education or just did not understand the facts. I might add that attitude continues to date.
Posted by Lucky33 (anonymous) on January 16, 2008 at 9:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)
outdrs04, I agree with you wholeheartedly that Jerry Ness walked into a thankless job to work for a thankless community. He is an honest, hardworking, genuine man who is working his tail off for a community that can seem to do nothing but bash those trying to make things work.
That said, the people of Fergus Falls (at least those who post on these articles) are amazing. You don't have an ounce of pride in your town. You whine about the mall, the Bigwood, Arby's, Walgreen's, the school, Larry's bar, the lack of retail, the announcement of new retail... everything good or bad that happens is a new reason to complain!
Well, you guys keep on fighting amongst yourselves. If you don't think it matters when a community puts their money where their mouth is, look at Underwood, Battle Lake, and Ashby. They showed their students that they are important enough to invest money in new facilities, and their schools are full, thriving, successful, and getting fantastic test scores. I'm sure they appreciate filling their seats with kids from Fergus!
Posted by OldHippy (anonymous) on January 16, 2008 at 10:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)
ffprofessor. So dollars don't matter in education? All I'm saying is for a very long time this community has said education matters, as long as we're at the very bottom rung in terms of funding. I never said throw money at the problem. Watch the kids of FF continue to slip away to those neighboring "extravagant and frivolous" school buildings in nearby towns. But, feel good that you saved $11.
Posted by chipmunk (anonymous) on January 16, 2008 at 10:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Lucky33, thanks for your positive post, it was much different than when you were whining about MSCTC
And Dr. Valentine, and bitching about smokers or the 75K crime simulator. I guess its OK for you to whine and complain but not the rest of us. As for Jerry Ness’s thankless job, the median income in Fergus Falls is $31,454 and the per capita income is $18,929 but Jerry Ness gets about $125,000.00 from the tax payers, plus benefits. I bet there a lot of tax payers in Fergus who would like such a thankless wage.
Posted by ffprofessor (anonymous) on January 16, 2008 at 10:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Johnnie can’t read!
NO PROBLEM, BUILD HIM A SWIMMING POOL.
Johnnie can’t do math!
NO PROBLEM, BULID JOHNNIE A HOCKEY RINK.
Johnnie can’t write!
NO PROBLEM, BUILD THE SUPERINTENDENT A NEW OFFICE.
Johnnie can’t find the United States on a map.
NO PROBLEM, LAYOFF THE JANITORS.
Johnnie is stupid.
NO PROBLEM, BUILD HIM A NEW SCHOOL.
But we have no money for a new school.
NO PROBLEM, TELL EVERYONE THE OLD SCHOOL IS FALLING DOWN.
Posted by Paul (anonymous) on January 16, 2008 at 11:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Oldhippy, $11.00? Try $1,068.00. It’s time you stopped using things that expand your mind.
Posted by AndyMosity (anonymous) on January 16, 2008 at 4:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
After reading this thread, I'm glad I moved from Fergus when I did...
...the town continues to bail water...
Posted by otfan12 (anonymous) on January 16, 2008 at 4:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
If you want quality education and quality teachers, you might need quality buildings. Just a thought.
Posted by sassica (anonymous) on January 16, 2008 at 4:28 p.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by chipmunk (anonymous) on January 16, 2008 at 5:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Otfan12, instead of dancing all around the issue why don’t you address the issue of Hillcrest and the old building or do you want give the impression that Hillcrest does not exist if you don’t mention it? Hillcrest is proof positive that all your arguments and deflection to the contrary, works. Perhaps you wish to imply that the teachers at Hillcrest are substandard or love to work in a dump.
Posted by chipmunk (anonymous) on January 16, 2008 at 5:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Sassica, you don’t understand, teachers are not necessary for a quality education, all that is needed is a new building or addition. Once built, little dumb Johnnie will automatically learn to read and write and solve higher mathematical problems because he will be so overjoyed to have a new pool to swim in and a new hockey rink for knocking his own teeth out. At last he will be able to find Minnesota on the map because he knows in his heart that the superintendent is warm and cozy in his new office. Johnnie’s relative academic standing to students in other nations will improve because Johnnie knows his rich teacher took a pay cut and another teacher got laid-off. As a matter of fact I’ll bet that if we spent twice as much on a new building and increased it size twofold Johnnie would automatically be twice as smart.
Posted by GStumbo (anonymous) on January 16, 2008 at 6:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
As this debate progresses, let us also acknowledge the fact that Hillcrest had a decision to make regarding their facilities and they chose to invest in their school by renovating the main building and constructing an addition. They did so privately, by contacting every alumnus and asking for money to complete the project. Per square foot, with the cost of materials to renovate versus building new, they may have had to pay a bit more to preserve the buildings.
Posted by otfan12 (anonymous) on January 16, 2008 at 6:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Chipmunk, by all of your pro-Hillcrest comments I am assuming you are a former graduate or your children went to Hillcrest. Congratulations!
Onto the topic at hand, I do believe that if we do not have an adequate facility to attract people to our city that eventually it will dwindle down. People will leave our city if they do not see support for their children in something such as a school. You may also want to remember that once us Fergus graduates are done with school there is very little for us to come back to. Especially with a town so against change. Why would I want to bring my family back to a community that is so against change and so against improving education by means of a school? The same also goes for families looking to move into the area. Just another thought.
Posted by chipmunk (anonymous) on January 16, 2008 at 7:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I attended Madison grade school, Washington junior high and Roosevelt Park senior high. My children attended schools in other towns in Minnesota and in other states depending on where we lived at the time.
My point with Hillcrest is that they took care to maintain and care for their building through the years and when the time for expansion came they constructed an addition that was necessary and sensible, without frivolous accoutrements , choosing rather to put their hard earned dollars directly into improvements that further their students education rather than monuments’ to the ego of board members or superintendents. We could have done the same had there been a desire to truly enhance and improve education, instead some community leaders chose to threaten, lie, misdirect, and mislead timid voters until they got their way. Well they got their way and their new school along with the continuing resentment of many citizens. By the way I have never attended a religious school or university, instead attending the University of Minnesota and Cornell in Ithaca, New York. It is also worthwhile to point out that Hillcrest is much, much older than the current high school.
Posted by Lucky33 (anonymous) on January 17, 2008 at 9:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Chipmunk, you sound like the most unhappy person in Fergus Falls. You've never posted anything positive, yet you seem to spend hours upon hours on these posts of yours. You must have a lot time on your hands. Are you unemployed, or just neglecting your job? Do you need a different hobby? I feel sorry for you. Is there anything we fellow posters can do to cheer you up? (*Preparing for slam...*)
Posted by Paul (anonymous) on January 17, 2008 at 9:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Lucky, chipmunk is the funniest poster on this site, you can’t be negative and funny at the same time.
Posted by sweetpea (anonymous) on January 17, 2008 at 10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Has lucky33 ever read any of chips posts?
Posted by chipmunk (anonymous) on January 17, 2008 at 10:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Lucky33, if you think I’m unhappy you have not read all my posts. Do yourself a favor and click on my username and read all my previous posts, I think you will see that the majority of my posts are happy go lucky in nature and sometimes even frivolous. But there also comes a time when one must be serious. This particular thread is one of those. I’m also retired, that gives me time to pursue my new job, that of correcting the errant opinions of idiots on these pages who make silly and erroneous posts like “you have never posted anything positive”, you see lucky, when you make statements like that, where the contrary proof is just a click away, you make my head hurt and cause me to worry about the education you received and thus my negative posts on this page. I’m perhaps the most happy person in Fergus Falls, certainly happier than you. Imagine my happiness when I just came in from blowing the snow off my driveway only to find your idiotic post. Another opportunity to make an idiot look more idiotic than he did himself, thanks for the opportunity. But since you asked if there was anything you could do to cheer me up….yes there is, you could come over and do my driveway the next time it snows.
Posted by Paul (anonymous) on January 17, 2008 at 10:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Hey Lucky, what are you doing posting at 9:05 AM for? Don’t you have a job? Are you neglecting your job? Are you unemployed? Did you get fired for posting on company time. You seem to have a lot of time on your hands, maybe you work for the superintendent of schools. Me? I’m in prison and the warden lets me use his computer. Ha, Ha, I’m happy.
Posted by Paul (anonymous) on January 17, 2008 at 10:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Hey Chip, I would do your driveway if I could get away.
Posted by Jerry (anonymous) on January 17, 2008 at 10:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Snow, what's that? Chipmunk anyone that has to shovel snow deserves to be unhappy. I'm a republican so it don't show on my driveway. Keep up your happy and unhappy writing, even though we don't always agree, the majority of us enjoy posting with you.
Posted by chipmunk (anonymous) on January 17, 2008 at 11:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Thanks Jerry, Don’t most republicans simply have their servants do the drive?
Posted by toad3 (anonymous) on January 20, 2008 at 10:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Jerry,
We have snow, you have crime.
Posted by Jerry (anonymous) on January 22, 2008 at 10:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Toad3, you have got to have people to have crime, have you checked the crime rate in Minneapolis lately? All the large cities have way to much crime. Actually I can handle some crime better than I can handle winter anymore. Especially 6 months of it!!!!
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