Ironwood board approves district budget

By RICHARD JENKINS

rjenkins@yourdailyglobe.com

Ironwood — While the numbers will change as the year goes on, the board of education for the Ironwood Area Schools voted 5-2 to approve the initial budget for the 2018-19 school year.

Board members Amanda Sprague and Marilyn Carey voted no, arguing they hadn’t had adequate time to review the document before the vote.

Superintendent Tim Kolesar said the numbers in the budget were just projections, in part due to the way the state finances education.

“The state makes us have our projected budget for this year in June, but they don’t even tell us what they’re giving us until October or November,” Kolesar said. “Until they change their ways … this is our beginning budget, it’s a projection of what we think is going to happen.”

School Board President Steve Thomas compared the document to “a wish list,” saying it would be amended as needed.

According to the documents provided to the board, the district is budgeting for $7,952,184 in general fund revenue and a starting fund balance of $134,639. The budget includes $7,913,395 in general fund appropriations.

Along with the general fund, the budget includes $509,383 in food service revenue and $476,380 in food services expenses.

Even though the budget will change repeatedly, several board members said they would have liked more time to review the document before being asked to approve it.

In other action:

—The board also approved a series of budget amendments for the 2017-18 budget.

—The board approved an easement agreement with the city of Ironwood to allow the development of non-motorized trails on district property in the Miners Memorial Heritage Park.

—The district approved the tentative academic calendar for the upcoming year. The calendar, in keeping with the one set by the Gogebic-Ontonagon Intermediate School District, would start the year on Sept. 4 and end on June 11.

—The board accepted Dan Niemi’s resignation as dean of students, Steve Boyd as quiz bowl coach and Erin Murphy as the district’s assistant accountant. The board also hired Laura Ahonen as the district’s new Great Start Readiness Program teacher.

—The board renewed Carolyn Mieloszyk’s contract as the superintendent/board secretary for two years and Heidi Lauzon was given a new two-year agreemetn as the supervisor of special education.

—The board approved a resolution to allow the district to temporarily borrow money to cover the period prior to the state issuing the first round of funds for the new year.

—The board also approved the tax rate request, which uses the same 21.380 mills as 2017.

—The board authorized seeking bids for the bread and milk contracts.