05-22-1998 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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f- fWiews on school jinances uirea on cable .TV call-in program q Judy Soukup i The Weslonka School Board nired its rinancial concerns on tele- kjsion Ihts week in a cable-cast, fcall'in program hosted by , the UMyor of Mound, Steve Smith. Monday night's hour-long pro- 11, broadcast on Triax Cable's jnnel 20 and directed by Linda liien, featured Westonka Su- ^jrintendent Jim Smith and the ,aeven-memlicr school board •serv- jJbig as a panel to address questions fof in-studio and at-home guests. L The program was designed to fprovide a new medium for describ- iiiig the complete financial picture of fthe Westonka SchiHil District and j for answering questions that may I not have been answered in other rdUcussioni. The Westonka School jDistrict had seen two excess levy ^ferenda fail ’ at fail. : * Board membcni, the superinten dent and the mayor all agreed that ‘ fttie dialogue was valuable and that they'd like to use the television pro- igram to communicate with citizens again soon, probably after Memori;' ;'al Day. **Television is a useful tool lIo reach out with information." •hoted Mayor Smith. The mayor In dicated he hopes to build audience interest in participation in the first ------------------------ II • ■ cmi|iie of shows, and then move on to "pick apart" the responses and the issues that are rai.scd so the au dience can come to some conclu- .siuns on tlie need for an excess i levy. Some callers on this first program recalled negative stories of other .referenda attempts and distrust of board members; others called in .siippiMi of the hiiard and their ef forts to communicate and asked why city officials were slow in coming t«i .suppr^rt the school’s efforts. Callers rai.scd que.stions alxnit how the district's funds were allo- cutcil. asking for a graph that would show the di.siributitm of funds. They askal about costs expended for co-curricular activities like sports and mu<ic. and they asked about nego *ons over salary in creases ai.u whether there were morale problems among the .staff. Tlieir tuicstions showed concerns over a board decision to eliminate funding for swimming pool opera tions (which have'now beei^as- ‘sumed by Community Education). They asked how a person on a fixed ;ncome could be expected to pay in creasing properly taxes. In their respon.ses, -*n- beri and administra aid detailed financial information was available to anyone who asked, that they have circulated and publicized that information ind would con tinue to do so. More than 50 per cent of high-school-age students participate in co-curricular activi ties, they responded, and cn- curriculars amounted to about four percent of the budget. But the board considers sports and music and art to be vital puts of the whole educar tional process, snd they want to offer as many opportunities as pos sible in those areas. Cuts in co- curricular to date have amounted to $S7,(X)0, they said. The district is trying to keep cuts as far away from ■ I FINANCES . . . Cont. on P. B ’89 Operation Clean Sweep will be held on 6th of May It is time once again to get out your work gloves and get ready to clean up area streets and parks in "Operation Clean Sweep spon> iuiriciu . MMff'tnd oUierstafr mdnbitl^ r ^6f the difficult tlmts, andj^ . Pederttkm of Telchers lA^ rCL’I.fiaoMguAitchbiMbylhet^ ,financial dlfficuhles But the board also expressed sup*' thN come from the s portfbrteachefiwhoaeialarksa^ . * S.* ' * on. mandates that come from the state unaccom- •V • ....^...... - . . ♦, .•• •*’ . ‘ t ' ... . i. .. . *. '• ' panied by ftmdhg. . - J And some of the pro|rams fhai Cailen assumed eterC {mid out of ‘ distrki coffisn,Mika trips ip Camp Isabella (EnVirbnmental Uaming Center) an^ toe roller skating rink. ' were actually ftwded by student-' and parent-spoiiaored ftindralscre, the board pt^nt^ out.. ‘ . :t ■ :• I o m