The Wayland Board of Education Monday night decided to table until next Monday a decision on four options presented for employee wages for next fiscal year.
The board balked at making a decision during the presentation of budget assumptions from Finance Director Bill Melching.
“This is the first time we’ve seen the four options in writing,” said Board Vice President Tom Salingue.
Melching contended the board has been aware of the material for some time now and noted, “We have to adopt the (next fiscal year) budget by the end of June and we’re goimng down to the wire on this. I don’t think we can table this until the next regular meeting (in May).”
With an eye toward trying to increase the fund balance, the board was given four options on handling employee wages and step increases:
- No increase in wages or steps, with a ½% increase, or $134,000 in the fund balance.
- A half step increase in wages and salaries, with a 1/2 % fund balance increase.
- A full step increase in wages with a 1% bump in fund balance.
- A full step wage increase with a ½% fund balance increase.
The problem with a full step increase in wages would be that it likely would result in staff reductions and increase in class sizes in the elementaries and at the high school.
But Melching noted, “Any amount less than a full step will be difficult to maintain in negotiations.”
Superintendent Norm Taylor said planning for the budget at this time of year is always hazardous because just how much state aid the schools will get is not known. Current figures show Gov. Rick Snyder’s proposal is the least generous, the State House’s is the most generous and the Senate’s is between the two.
Taylor said right now it is prudent to budget conservatively, based on the least favorable figures.
The superintendent urged the board to decide Monday night because, “We’ll still have opportunities to make adjustments.”
PHOTO: The Wayland Middle School Choir, under the direction of Julie Oostdyke, performed for the school board one of its songs for which it recently received a Division I rating. The group has earned the ight to sing at the state festival later this spring at Mt. Pleasant.
