By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
The technology fee at Hays High School is increasing $20 to a total of $50, while the $160 workbook/materials fee for all USD 489 students will be reduced by $25 starting in the 2015-2016 school year.
Hays USD 489 school board members voted 5-1 for the changes during Monday night’s regular meeting. Board member Lance Bickle dissented; board member Josh Waddell was absent.
Although Traci Kaiser, Executive Director of Finance, showed five options to the board, four of which decreased fees by increasing amounts, administration had recommended only the HHS technology increase. It will generate an additional $10,732 for a total of $25,927 to cover the self-insurance for the technology devices at Hays High.
Three of the five options would have implemented a $30 technology fee at the middle school and the elementary schools.
“It would probably be the best thing to send that message–that yes, we’re going to try to reduce fees–we’ve been talking about it. I think we have an opportunity to do that. I would feel comfortable with this option–reducing the K-12 enrollment fee overall by $25 and then the fee for technology at the high school would go up $20,” Katt said.
Approval of both changes will mean a net shortfall of $39,454 in textbook/materials fees which Katt and Kaiser said will be covered in the General Fund, thanks to a decrease in expenses of $768,876 for FY’16 budget projections.
Those decreased expenses include $3256,959 in staff reductions and a first year savings of $216,299 in repurposing Washington school for the Early Childhood Connections program.
In other business, board members also approved a recommended increase in meal prices of five cents for elementary lunches and ten cents for middle and high school lunches for 2015-2016.
Jessica Younker, Nutrition Services Director, told the board “if prices do not increase, the district would have to contribute $15,689 to the Food Service Fund to subsidize for low cost paid meals.”
Due to federal price equity requirements, based on the average meal price for the 2014-2015 year, USD 489 is required to raise lunch prices a minimum of $.07 weighted average, Younker explained.