The financial future of Danville District 118 dominated the end of Wednesday (Mar 25) evening’s board meeting. Once again, board member Chris Easton used specific numbers to paint a very concerning picture. He stated that out of 849 public school systems in Illinois, 15 have less than 50 school days worth of funding in their reserves. And Danville 118, Easton stated, has just 27 days worth, after having over 100 days worth as recently as last October.
Easton says that the way he sees it, District 118 cannot completely solve their cash flow problem until the mid-2030s. Easton says what needs to be done is make major changes on how locally raised funding is spent; as in trying not to spend it at all. Because while federal and state funding has to be spent right away, locally raised funding, with about $21 million of over $90 million annually coming from taxes on homes and businesses, does not.
AUDIO: So, the money that we get in local funds is the only money that we can use to start saving back up our cash balance. And that’s going to take many years, to get back to what it was even just a few months ago.
District 118 Board member Chris Easton (1st picture) and Superintendent John Hart (2nd picture) give their opinions on the district’s financial situation.
Superintendent John Hart says he’d like to have a new comprehensive spending plan before the board as soon as the April 22nd meeting. Hart says he sees adjustments being made when it comes to things, not staff. Easton stated that one example of a “thing adjustment” would be the money used for the tort fund. Hart explained further; saying it wouldn’t be a matter of ending it, but adjusting it.
AUDIO: The tort budget is really the money that’s put in the fund to look at liability that the school district could incur. So, the money that’s coming out of there, a lot of times, you know, that will be if somebody gets hurt at work.
Meanwhile, the 118 Board approved an agreement with Empowered Communication to provide a speech pathologist for the district for the rest of the school year. Hart stated after the meeting that, yes; one district pathologist recently resigned and another took leave. And in competing with entities such as hospitals and nursing homes, it can be very challenging to find a speech pathologist, especially on short notice. And speech pathology is something a school district must provide when it’s needed.
AUDIO: You know, it does take manpower; and there’s not a lot of people that are going into speech and language programs any more. And they have options.
The agreement with Empowered Communication is for $15,000 for a 20 hours per week pathologist for the rest of the school year; replacing another contract employee.
