LPOSD nears decision on supplemental levy amount

SANDPOINT - Lake Pend Oreille School District officials are close to making a decision on how much money to seek from voters through a supplemental levy.

That figure pencils in around $11 million over two years.

Trustees also are investigating an approach that could ease the tax burden during the levy's first year when taxpayers would pay for the supplemental levy and the second year of a plant facilities levy.

The idea of asking voters for less money the first year and more the second year woke her up at 4 a.m. that morning, said board chairman Vickie Pfeiffer at Tuesday's levy workshop.

She wondered if the district legally has to split the levy's cost between two years or if it could make the adjustment to make it easier on taxpayers.

Beginning this month, property owners with a $247,000 minus the homeowner's exemption, will pay $83 per $100,000 for the supplemental levy and $127 per $100,000 for the plant facilities levy.

Using the same home value under this option, the cost to taxpayers would be: $84 per $100,000 for the supplemental levy and $126 for the plant facility levy during FY 2010.

During the second year, that same homeowner would pay $100 per $100,000 for the supplemental levy, with the plant facility levy having been complete the previous year.

While the option is possible, it would cause a cash flow problem the first year, said business manager Lisa Hals.

Only two items in the proposed levy - refreshing computer technology and purchasing social studies curriculum - could potentially be shifted completely to the second year.

However, it possible that the district could borrow money through a tax anticipation notice to cover the first year.

Hals was tasked with determining just how much it would cost the district to borrow the money.

The bottom line is that the district will still have to make cuts in existing programs and from the $13 million requested from district employees, said board member Mindy Cameron.

She proposed some options that have yet to be discussed, Cameron suggested that district not continue to fund its reserve fund for the next two years to the tune of $100,000 each year.

She also said the board should examine the district's two remaining elementary counseling positions. Those counselors serve seven elementary schools.

Superintendent Dick Cvitanich also urged those attending the meeting to use caution when speaking with co-workers and friends, saying that conversation can become "inflammatory" in the community and amongst educators.

"We're looking a lot of things," he said. "I say everything is on the table."   

Cameron announced that a part-time transition counselor position at SHS could be eliminated from the budget request because Panhandle Alliance for Education has agreed to fund that slot for the next two years.

Board member Steve Youngdahl also argued to keep the upper quartile math and science program intact as much as possible, saying the program has had some unexpected benefits.

The program was originally funded by private donations with the intent that the school district would take over that responsibility.

Youngdahl said the program not only has helped gifted students who weren't receiving additional help, but also has prompted other students to be more involved in the classroom when those classmates are attending upper quartile courses outside the classroom.

It also has helped relieve classroom sizes during that time, he said.

He estimated that the program could be kept intact given expected maintenance savings attributed to the purchase from the plant facilities levy of new boilers at several schools.    Board members again talked about switching to a four-day school week, but threw out the option because the savings would be minor compared to the inconvenience it would cause by radically changing the schedules of everyone involved by lengthening school days and forcing

working parents who would have to figure out daycare one day a week.

District officials will meet at 2:30 p.m. Friday at the district office in Ponderay to discuss the specifics that arose from Tuesday's meeting.

The board will vote on a final resolution regarding the supplemental levy at its Jan. 13 meeting.