School Board Ponders Funding for Textbooks, Concession Stand at Woodbury High School

The District 833 School Board on Thursday examined the proposed 2011-12 capital expenditures for area schools, debating the merits of additional textbooks and a new concession stand at , among other items.

District staff outlined nearly $6.9 million in spending recommendations out of more than $8 million in requests from schools.

There is some room for adjustments, as the school board could allocate funds from a 2006 bond referendum for additional spending. There is $2 million in that fund, which staff recommended using to cover $635,000 in additional funding requests.

Under capital expenditures, staff proposed $700,000 for textbooks, with another $250,000 coming from the bond money. That still left more than $166,000 in unfunded requests for textbooks.

Board member Jim Gelbmann suggested using the bond money for classroom materials.

“I think we’re going to end up funding that anyway,” he said.

The board took no formal action Thursday, as it was a workshop meeting. Members are expected to vote on the operating capital budget on March 24.

Another portion of the capital spending the district discussed was a new concession stand at Woodbury High School. Board members noted that both and Park high schools can serve hot food, while Woodbury can only sell packaged goods because the space does not meet state health code requirements.

Board members said it was an issue of equity between the District 833 high schools. Chair Leslee Boyd said Woodbury booster clubs could use those proceeds from sales at the concession stand for athletic teams.

Another item that drew the attention of board members was $24,851 in capital spending for East Ridge High School, a nearly identical figure ($24,383) to that of , a much older building. Board members seemed to reach a consensus that East Ridge should only get half those dollars.

Ultimately, there’s only so much money to go around, said Mike Vogel, assistant to the superintendent for operations.

“We can’t grow the pie. So we have to serve fewer pieces,” he said.

Policies

The school board on Thursday discussed revisions to its Series 200 Policies, many of which were minor and dictated by state statues.

One item that drew the board’s attention, however, was the idea that one member can pull an item from the consent agenda. School boards and city councils often leave it up to members’ discretion whether to pull an item from the consent agenda—typically noncontroversial or housekeeping items—for discussion before the body.

Board member Ron Kath said he would rather put those actions to a motion by the school board. He said the ability for a member to take an item off the consent agenda leaves the door open for “grandstanding speeches” and gives too much power to elected officials.

Gelbmann countered that if the district decided to require a motion to move an item from the consent agenda, he would find other avenues to make his voice heard.

Boyd agreed, saying that when a board member asks for an item to be moved from the consent agenda, it no longer becomes noncontroversial and warrants discussion.

For a story on the school board's discussion of the 2011-12 budget, click here.