Wayland schools casino fund spending approved for ’15-16

The Wayland Board of Education Monday night finally approved how nearly $1.5 million in Gun Lake Casino revenue will spent during the 2015-16 fiscal year.

The casino allocates a certain percentage of its gaming receipts each year to the Wayland Union School District as part of its compact with the State of Michigan. The funds have been awarded to the schools since the facility at the Bradley exit of the U.S.-131 expressway opened in February 2011.

School officials have decided against using the money in the general fund and instead has used it to fund education enhancements and some capital improvements projects.

Some changes have been made in determining how funds will be spent as opposed to the previous fiscal year. Two have been defunded entirely, the $12,835 spent for the physical education swim curriculum and $17,726 for student accident insurance.

Reduced by almost 50% was the money aside to enable people to attend athletic, arts and community events free of charge. The board has decided to allow students to get in free, but adults will pay the customary $5 to get into a basketball or football game, or a drama presentation, for example. Funding went from $45,175 to $25,175 and specifically $11,103 to $6,103 for drama.

The following is the remainder of the casino fund allocations:

• Public improvement fund — $675,000, up $41,848, to reach an amount believed to be equal to project costs. Included in this category are financing the science wing addition at the high school and the baseball field at the middle school.
• Security/Public Safety — $57,000, up $429, except for a possible contract with the City of Wayland for an officer.
• iPads program — $168,000, down $46,583, to include purchases during 2015-16 and financing for four years.
• Reduced fees for preschool — $55,560, no change from previous year.
• Pay to participate fees — $60,330, no change.
• School nurse program — $63,000, no change, but a reduction in services or staffing through Spectrum Health.
• Classroom supplies for pre-K to 6^th grade — $40,000, down $11,850 by reducing teacher allocations by $200 each.
• Science materials aides position — $19,336, no change.
• Field trips — $15,000, down $4,437, by reducing to one per grade level.
• Two-way busing for athletes — $14,314, no change.
• Eliminating door-to-door fund-raising — $33,000, down $20,630, to include only instruction and academic related support.
• Athletics — $19,100, no change.
• Pool/Fitness Center management — $50,000, down $12,000, possibly reduce hours or increase fees.
• Odyssey of the Mind, Science Olympiad and other similar outside programs — $6,001, no change.
• Driver education — $40,000, down $13,224, increase fees to make program self-supporting.
• Increased community education offerings — $18,757, no change, but reduced staffing and reduced programming.
• Bus purchases — $122,000, up from zero, to help fund purchase of a bus at $165,000.

The total funding was $1,487,676, which was down by $28 from the previous fiscal year.