Ledger-Dispatch

By Helen Bonner=20

From left, Mary Walser, Karl = Knobelauch, Pat=20 Miller, Terry Porray, Janelle Redkey and Wally Upper make up the = new board=20 of trustees for the Amador County Unified School District. Trustee = David=20 Dutra was absent.

Photo by: Helen = Bonner
The=20 good news at the school board meeting Wednesday night was that, as of = now,=20 budgets are in the black.

The bad news is that, by the first = weeks of=20 January, cuts at the state level will likely demand severe reductions = for the=20 Amador County Unified School District and put local schools in the=20 red.

"I'm speechless," said Superintendent Dick Glock. "We don't = even=20 know what's coming down in January. We know so little about something = that's so=20 important. We must join with the California School Board Association and = the=20 (California) Teachers Association to tell the legislature we can't take = any more=20 cuts in education."

Karl Knobelauch, clerk of the school board of = trustees, said he heard at a recent state school boards conference, = which he=20 attended at his own expense, that a number of economists called the = state budget=20 reports a sham created by political manipulation of the figures. "They = have=20 announced a $10 billion hole when it's actually closer to 40 billion," = he said.=20 "The problem is they are trying to craft a fix when they don't know how = big the=20 hole is."

Knobelauch said he and other county leaders "will = concentrate=20 our efforts on going to work with the legislature." One suggestion was = that "we=20 all go down on Jan. 12th to see how the budget affects us."

On = Wednesday,=20 Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared that California's budget shortfall = had grown=20 to $14.8 billion for the current fiscal year - several billion more than = the=20 shortfall legislators already have been unable to solve. The governor = said the=20 state deficit will get even worse in the 2009-10 budget; an = administration=20 official said the gap could be as high as $40 billion over the next 18 = months.=20 Until now, that figure had been estimated at $28 billion.

The = school=20 board's discussion came after the assistant superintendent of business = services,=20 Barbara Murray, presented the district's interim budget revisions for = 2008-09,=20 which showed a small but positive balance.

"This is how it looked = in=20 October," Murray said. "But it's completely different now because of the = state=20 budget. We anticipate budget reductions for the next year. ... This = reflects=20 what's happening in our county with no growth."

Asked about = increased=20 funding brought in by the 30-student Americans with Disabilities Act = increase,=20 Murray said an ADA decline is expected in the next year to the tune of = $300 per=20 student.

When new Trustee Wally Upper questioned whether planned = spending=20 for next year would "put us in a deficit," Murray replied, "I don't = believe=20 there will be a deficit because we will stop spending. We have monies = set aside=20 for the expected declining enrollment, unless the state makes huge=20 cuts."

Glock said the district will need to stop all categorical = spending=20 except what's geared for essential survival. Travel will be limited, = conferences=20 will be eliminated, classes for the gifted will be suspended and a = partial=20 hiring freeze will be imposed.

"If you go by Standard and Poor's = report=20 today, the state will run out of operating money in March," Glock said. = "Our=20 budget is something we can get by with, but we have to save for the = subsequent=20 two years."

Trustee Terry Porray asked about ways to utilize = resources to=20 raise money. "With the Wildflower project in Ione, we raised money for a = fire=20 lane," she said of the scuttled subdivision.

One of the bright = spots=20 mentioned last week was the $5 million addition to Ione Junior High = School for a=20 new modular classroom facility.

"The elevator is now in place = and, after=20 the inspection, the building will be open," Murray said. "It's a = beautiful=20 building and we will use it."

Glock also reported on the progress = of=20 using drug-sniffing dogs on school campuses.

"Several of our = schools have=20 come through unscathed, but we do have some violations," he shared. = "Designated=20 students go to the probation department. The next step is to develop our = support=20 program. We think we can re-integrate them into the school population. = We're in=20 contact with mental health for that, but that program has been cut=20 too."

In other business, Trustee Pat Miller reported on the = Christmas to=20 Remember drive, saying dozens of youths received bundles of new=20 clothes.

Glock presented awards acknowledging students Kellsey = Long, Lena=20 Johnson and Sarah Post for their hours of community service. "You are = models for=20 the younger students to follow," Glock said.

Glock also = recognized Larry=20 Forst with the alumni and staff award. As a child, Forst mowed lawns, = washed=20 dishes and delivered newspapers while living with his grandparents and = going to=20 Jackson Elementary School. At l6, he passed a state proficiency exam and = quit=20 high school to go to work. After years of working for a garbage company, = he=20 started a sanitation company in Jackson.

"After carrying garbage = cans on=20 my back, it was an honor to drive around in a (modern) garbage truck," = Forst=20 said. "Any job, no matter how low, you have to put your best foot = forward all=20 the time."

New maintenance and grounds manager Joey Pechette = reported on=20 the progress of the new computerized work order system. Pechette said it = was so=20 efficient that "a principal once saw the worker on a cell phone arrive = within 10=20 minutes after he submitted the work order."

Pechette also = discussed the=20 need to increase inspections on buildings, and speed up repairs of any = leaks.=20 "It costs the district almost nothing to repair leaks and the = alternative is=20 thousands in expenses once mold is detected."

At the next board = meeting=20 on Jan. 14, the state budget's effect on county schools will be further=20 discussed.

The Associated Press contributed to this = report.

Helen Bonner
Ledger Dispatch Contributor=20