The Montezuma-Cortez Re-1 school district will release its proposed 2015-16 budget in its entirety at its next school board meeting, Tuesday, May 19.
At a public district accountability meeting on May 11, officials highlighted portions of the budget, revealing that the district was proposing to spend more than $18.2 million next year, an increase of 6.3 percent, or $1,078,926, over the current fiscal year.
Funding at the district’s five elementary schools, for example, is forecast to increase by a total of $902,743 next year. At 28 percent, Pleasant View Elementary is slated to receive the largest percent increase of all schools across the district. The middle and high schools are expected to receive budget increases of 21 and 19 percent, respectively.
At the district accountability meeting, Re-1 Superintendent Alex Carter said that a majority of the individual school budget increases were the result of new transparency accounting practices. He said that funds for health services, curriculum and technology support as well as custodians, for example, would all be included within each school’s individual budget next year instead of lumping those costs into other district funds.
The 2015-16 budget contains several key priorities, including mandatory STEP employee pay increases. Carter said he would rather lay off employees to ensure that all personnel received a pay hike.
“When you don’t give a STEP, what you do is invite a type of cancer into the district,” said Carter, explaining that personnel become disgruntled, which leads to increased turnover.
Another top priority for next year’s budget is health coverage. Carter said the district’s monthly cost per employee was forecast to increase to $650 next year, up from $525 in 2014. Over the past several years, the district has had to increase appropriations an average of $400,000 annually simply to balance its employee health fund, Carter said.
An additional priority next year is adequately funding counselors at every elementary school. A half-time counselor currently works at two elementary schools.
“We believe it’s critical,” Carter said.
Pointing out that seven of the district’s schoolhouses were all built before 1970, Carter said the district would also need to be more vigilant in funding capital improvements. Before 2008, the district was mandated to place more than $800,000 annually into its capital reserve fund. For seven consecutive years, the district hasn’t appropriated any money for capital projects, and the fund balance has dipped below $1 million.
“The grim truth: This funding is not sustainable,” said Carter.
tbaker@cortezjournal.com