School Board Hears of Strong Reserve Fund but Failing Appliances

The Orcas Island School District (OISD) budget’s in good shape, which is more than can be said for some of the heating systems and the appliances in the school cafeteria, the OISD Board heard at the regular board meeting on Oct. 28.

Student enrollment climbed from 691 in September to 703: the count is broken down to 426 students at Orcas K-12 in October; 15 students at Waldron K-8; 238 students in OASIS (Orcas Alternative Student-Initiated Studies) K-8; and 24 students in OASIS High School.

To accommodate the increased enrollment, approximately six FTE (full-time equivalent) teachers have been hired, as approved by the OISD board in its consent agendas for the past three months.

OISD Business Manager Keith Whitaker advised the Board, “The picture of the fund balance is continuing to improve; in all likelihood, we will end the year closer to 8% [of the school budget being in the reserve fund] than the 5.75% target set by the Board; this includes the $73,000 from the debt service fund.

“Once the year is closed, I’ll be looking at our regular business systems and adjusting some of the processes and policies which I hope will save time in the business office and money overall.”

Whitaker attributed the healthy reserve fund balance to the growth in enrollment and hiring new staff at conservative pay levels. He responded to a question from Board Member Chris Sutton, that his analysis is based on $4,900 allotted per additional FTE of student enrollment, despite some confusion about the per student apportionment figures last month.

That and with the money from the federal education jobs bill, federal grant carryovers, and the fact that state budget cuts are focused on levy equalization (which does not affect OISD), leads Whitaker to project the 2009-2010 ending fund balance at between $450,000 and $470,000.

Meanwhile maintenance continues to plague the schools’ buildings and programs. Elementary Principal Kyle Freeman reported that, with increased demands on the kitchen appliances, constant maintenance can’t keep up with the appliance depreciation: a new switch has been placed on the proofer oven, but the entire unit needs replacement; the bottoms are rusting out in the steam table pans and one of the freezers doesn’t work now.

Maintenance Supervisor David Johnson is in communication with restaurant suppliers to obtain an 8-burner stove to replace the current 6- burner one.

Also, although high school building heaters have been repaired, sensors need to be installed in the heating and ventilation systems in the middle school buildings for them to operate properly. Superintendent Barbara Kline said that University Mechanical, the state agency which helps maintain school plant operations, will price out missing components.

Bob MacKenzie, Manager of University Mechanical, told the OISD board in July 2009 that the heating and ventilation (HVAC) systems at the Elementary, Middle and High School buildings are “not functional; the energy management system is obsolete.” After a two-day examination of the district’s buildings last year, Mackenzie concluded, “The middle school has given its good venerable service, but it’s a problem.”

Freeman said at the Oct. 28 meeting that the problem