By KARI BLURTON
Hays Post
In a 5-2 vote, the Hays USD 489 Board of Education voted to table discussion on keeping the fees increased last year as-is for the the 2015-16 school year until further discussion regarding the district’s budget.
Facing a more than $1 million budget gap last May, board members voted to approve an activity fee increase of $50 and the workbook/enrollment fee increased from $100 to $160 — generating nearly $200,000 for the district.
Board members James Leiker, Danielle Lang, Sarah Rankin, Greg Schwartz and Lance Bickle voted to table the decision of the fees for later discussion, with members Marty Patterson and Josh Waddell dissenting.
Patterson said he would rather the board vote on keeping the fees-as is with the stipulation the fees would be reduced if the board came into money from the state or money was found elsewhere in the budget. A quicker decision would give the public more time to plan for the fees, he said.
Schwartz asked administration and staff in every building to “prioritize” what curriculum and programs were needed.
“I like the idea that Marty brought up about getting ahead of the curve and talking about this now … but looking at all the other options in between and then deciding and prioritizing what is more important?” Schwartz asked. “Is it more important to pass the fees on? … It is a lot easier to do that than to sit down there and debate every course they have at the high school and the middle school because those are the ones that would likely be cut, but unfortunately I don’t know how else you would do it.”
Board member Josh Waddell also questioned if the administration had looked at all they could as far as budget cuts.
“We are charged with doing the very best we can. … I think we have started very well in that direction. … I think prioritizing is a great place to start,” Waddell said, adding he has received “anonymous emails” questioning if the sports budget needed to be cut, although as Waddle said, it has already been cut down to “2.3 percent of the budget rather than the state average of 4 percent.”
Superintendent Dean Katt agreed if sports were to be cut any more then they have been, the sports programs themselves would need to be cut.
Katt suggested a February retreat in which all district programs would be prioritized, “taking into account all the cuts that have been made this year … see where we are.”
The issue will up for discussion at the Feb. 9 BOE work session starting at 7 p.m. instead of 6:30 p.m. due to a scheduling conflict.
The work session will be held at Hays High School, 2300 E. 13, following a tour of the school scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m.