Deficit remains in MASD preliminary budget

BY STACI WILSON

A deficit of about $370,000 remains in the preliminary budget adopted Monday by the Montrose Area School Board.

The board approved the district’s nearly $24 million preliminary budget, making it available for public review.

Superintendent Michael Ognosky said a finance committee meeting would be necessary before the board moved to adopt the district’s final 2013-14 budget. A finance committee meeting was scheduled for Monday, June 3.

He also said he expected many changes would be made to the budget before its final adoption.
Ognosky also noted that the state legislature was almost ready to give its counter-proposal to the governor’s proposed budget, where it was hoped by the superintendent that there would be cyber-charter school funding reforms included.

Board President Chris Caterson said that absent reforms, the district may have to “raise taxes, raid the piggybank or take a hatchet (to the budget) – or a combination of all three.”

In preparation for the move to using natural gas as its heating fuel at the Junior/Senior High School, the board awarded the contract for the conversion of three boilers to Evans Mechanical Inc. for $84,000.

The board also accepted, with regret, the resignation for purpose of retirement of transportation secretary Lucille Gesford.

Ognoksy said Gesford had been with the Montrose district for about 20 years.

Caterson offered her the board’s appreciation for her years of service.

A list of prospective graduates was submitted to the board for its approval. It was noted by the superintendent that this was not a final list and that graduation was contingent upon the completion by the students of all of the requirements.

The 2012-13 school calendar was also revised. June 3-7 and June 10 will all be regular, full days of school. June 11-12 will be early dismissal days for students. June 12 is the final day for students and teachers. Graduation will be held Saturday, June 15 at 11 a.m. at the stadium.