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School consolidation endorsed by task force
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| By: Rachel Westberg |
June 03, 2009 |
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Chetek Superintendent Al Brown and business manager Tammy Lenbom are pictured going over a map of both districts.
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After more than two months of hearing studies, facts and figures, the Chetek/Weyerhaeuser consolidation task force-made up of 10 representative members from each community-voted 17-1 Monday (two members were absent) to recommend that both school boards pursue merging the two districts.
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As part of the voting process, there was also space to write down any additional recommendations a committee member felt important for the board to consider. A majority of the recommendations suggested that the school board continue with consolidation without going to referendum. Some task force members felt that people have had plenty of time to express their views of consolidation, and many added that they have heard little opposition to a merger, so there was no need to spend thousands of dollars on a referendum.
"We've had meetings on two studies, meetings with consultants and things have been put in the paper and on television," added Weyerhaeuser's task force member Dave Wiezba. "We've had enough time [to get information out] ... I bet 90 percent of the people haven't spent half the time that we have looking over all of the studies."
On the opposite end, Chetek task force member Oscar Skoug cautioned the group, noting that some community members might feel the consolidation is being "pushed down their throat" without a referendum. But many task force members still agreed that the information they received provided them with enough details to make a solid recommendation.
"I think we're afraid of the emotional vote," said Weyerhaeuser's Linda Sieja. "It is not easy for us to say to close the [Weyerhaeuser] school down, but we have to do what is best for the children."
Other major recommendations included: 1) ensuring fair representation from both communities on a consolidated school board; 2) save money; and 3) hold hearings and meetings to continue providing information to the public about a merger.
The task force's recommendations are advisory, and the school boards have the final decision in how to proceed. A joint school board meeting is scheduled for Monday at 7 p.m. in the Chetek High School Instructional Media Center. Both boards will hear the findings of the task force at that time.
According to Weyerhaeuser Superintendent Chris Nelson, two resolutions from both boards must be passed for the consolidation to continue. First, the boards must create a resolution indicating they are considering consolidation. By Aug. 1, both boards must create a resolution to actually consolidate for a merger to be effective July 1, 2010, for the 2010-2011 school year.
Transportation
Prior to making a recommendation to the school boards, John Erb, owner of Erb Rural Bus Service, discussed transportation issues with the task force. One suggestion in the original consolidation feasibility study was to develop a transportation system that ensured students would have no more than a 60-minute bus ride.
Weyerhaeuser's longest route is clocked at 70 minutes, but Nelson explained it is typically 45-60 minutes. A similar time frame is seen in Chetek routes. Erb suggested several options for making this happen, both with regular bus routes, 4-year-old kindergarten routes and late-activity bus routes.
Weyerhaeuser has three routes; Chetek has 11 regular routes, three noon routes for 4-year-old kindergarten and one bus for students with special needs. Weyerhaeuser currently budgets $137,000 for their transportation, Chetek budgets $608,000.
Erb added that the extra distance between Chetek and Weyerhaeuser would bring costs up and that adding extra routes to ensure students had no more than a 60-minute ride would also increase costs.
"We can do the routes within the 60-minute limit, but there are costs involved," explained Erb, adding that he didn't feel the additional costs would amount to a major increase in expenses.
"We're not really going to save anything in combining transportation costs," said Chetek Superintendent Al Brown. "It still costs the same to run a mile. If we're going to skimp on something, though, it won't be transportation costs."
Additional financial
information
The task force spent some time going over an addendum to the financial study prepared by Robert W. Baird consultant Lisa Voisin. With the addendum, three additional financial scenarios were discussed with the goal of maintaining the mill rate at a reasonable level during the first year of consolidation.
All three scenarios used consolidation aid to payoff Weyerhaeuser's existing debt. Scenario two adjusted equalized property valuation so it would not increase and scenario three adjusted equalization valuations to increase at 6 percent. (The original study assumed a 3 percent increase in valuations.) All three scenarios indicated that paying off Weyerhaeuser's debt had some effect on the mill rate, and Voisin indicated that a consolidated district still offers financial advantages over each district remaining independent.
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©The Chetek Alert 2009
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John Chaja |
Jun, 08 2009 |
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Without addressing the ultimate problem of declining enrollment, what good is consolidating schools going to do? The problem that must be addressed first and foremost is the lack of jobs in southeast Barron and southwest Rusk counties. Without industry, families of child-bearing age are unlikely to settle. If you can't find a job to pay the bills, how can you expect people to stay in the area?? I've witnessed firsthand as family-owned farms have closed and deteriorated. What industry there once was has since gone. Now, there is no incentive for industry to come to the area, and without it, people will continue to move away. The solution? I'm not entirely sure. Maybe schools should be better equipped to train a new generation of farmers. Family farms can be profitable--especially if they start a co-op or follow a sustainable/organic system of agriculture. Or perhaps the County needs to provide better tax incentives to companies that would provide jobs to the area.
One thing I do know is this: the School District of Chetek MUST start to look toward the future--not just one or two or even five years down the road. We are fortunate to have great facilities and teachers in Chetek, and I would hate to see that change.
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