(facebook.com photo)
To the editor:
I would like to inform the taxpayers of the North Butler school district. School officials misrepresented school financials and have overspent for at least the last three years. The incoming revenue was overestimated by more than $450,000 in 2012. The district has continued to overspend since, and unfortunately our cash reserves are depleted. How does this happen? As stated by Mr. Foster: “The auditor explained to us several weeks ago that they had told the previous superintendent that the previous business manager was not qualified to do the job that he was expecting and asking her to do. The board asked for items in the past and would not receive them, or the information would not be accurate.” The school board had a judiciary responsibility to uphold. When important information was not received, do not move forward. Action should be taken immediately.
A quote from the Iowa Association of School Boards Code of Ethics, “I will not regard the schools as my own private property, but as the property of the people. I will consider myself a trustee of public education and will do my best to protect it, conserve it and advance it, giving to the children of my community the educational opportunities that are as complete and adequate.”
Our community spent hundreds of hours researching North Butler’s issues to find the facts. One fact: additional positions were added totaling over $75,000 following a year with a KNOWN negative balance. Salaries were not paid on time resulting in a much larger deficit in 2013-14. With correct accounting, the negative unspent balance could have been ZERO!!! Now, school officials chose to discontinue North Butler’s 3-year old preschool and close the North Butler Greene Elementary School.
Research shows that high quality preschool programs DO make a difference for ALL children regardless of income. Without preschool, incoming children do not have the skills that are needed for success. Parents may choose to begin their child’s education elsewhere. What if those children stay at the other districts that provide earlier opportunities for learning? The community group again produced FACTS through a survey. Families with 27 children stated they may leave North Butler school district with implementation of the accepted corrective action plan. Some may not actually leave, but others that may not have answered the survey could. This decrease in enrollment will cost our school at least $162,000. The community DID the research.
Let’s take a look at the corrective action Plan1 vs.Plan2. Plan 1 stated savings for 3 year old preschool $15,000. Plan2 stated savings of $63,357. Then words from the superintendent; the savings were UNKNOWN at time of plan creation. How can we approve a plan when the figures are unknown? What other figures could be erroneous? This is not responsible management of our tax dollars.
The community provided an action plan looking for a way to maintain the excellent education we currently provide. The plan DID NOT cut 3- year old preschool and DID NOT close the School. The community’s plan had savings of over $350,000. No irreversible decisions need to be made. The FACTS are unknown. There is NO PLAN on how to make this “New Opportunity” work. School officials say they will offer more programs to middle school and high school students. I say tell me exactly what, when, and how?? Show us a detailed report explaining our districts future.
How can the school officials ignore the community’s requests? Why is hostility felt at school board meetings? Aren’t we all on the same side? Without the community’s support, THERE IS NO SCHOOL!
I have to laugh at all these people who are so enraged, calling for jail time, lawsuits and everything else, will not give their name. I guess you aren’t that involved. Being anonymous makes it easy to call for this and that. If you were truly committed to your cause, you wouldn’t hide behind anonymity.
As an alumni, I am appalled and disappointed at this malfeasance! I would have expected this in Des Moines school with over inflated budgets and corruption, but here in MY home town! GET THIS STRAIGHT RIGHT NOW! I DO NOT care who caused this or who’s to blame! FIX IT! It appears the community came up with a solution that was ignored. If this solution didn’t include someone’s brother-in-law getting a kickback or gravy job remodeling an addition! Too bad, look at it again!
As a side note…the superintendent also commented on another media site that’ It’s always a tough decision, but we didn’t have any other good options,” said Superintendent Joel Foster.’ And ‘I don’t think we’re looking at mistakes anybody really made,” he told KWWL in October. “It’s just a perfect storm in school finance.”‘ These comments were in a story published Nov 6. There was no chance of the community effort succeeding with their effort. The latter comment was also made…
After he knew and by knew I mean was told the former superintendent had been told by an external auditor, the former business manager was not capable of doing their job. Yep no mistakes. Mr foster try to keep your facts straight, you’re screwing with our school.then again our board hired you after using the same consulting firm that provided us with Mr Kenneally who caused this issue so seems to be par for the course. Substandard school board again making substandard hiring decisions.
It is just as much the school boards fault as anybodies!! They should all be forced to resign & start with all new school board members!
The tax payers of the NB school district should file a law suit against former supt., his secretary and board members on the board when this was happening. They might then start telling the truth.
former supt. and secretary should be in jail
For what?
Salaries to all were paid late, so these salaries were accounted for in 2013-14 rather than 2012-13 as they should have been.
Not to worry. They will just pass a levy or two and get the money they need from the taxpayer’s.
Without exact facts and figures, how can anyone say our district will be better off?? How much does it cost the district if the building still stands even though its closed? There is no plan on where the 4-year old preschool will be held (need to meet special regulations due to funding). How much will it cost to rent a space if necessary? There is no plan on how classrooms will be utilized. There is no special education equipment on the North Butler Allison playground. Should there be?
The salaries that are referenced in the letter are due to adding a curriculum director, changing salaries for a program from associate pay to certified teaching pay, and making half time positions full time. This is not related to the special education fund.
The point of the letter is to raise awareness and show inconsistencies. The community has to be involved. We trusted the superintendent and school board in the past and look where we are now.
I’m assuming you meant fiduciary instead of judiciary. Am I correct?
Aren’t these the salaries coming out of the special education fund? If so, why blabbing about this now? Mr. Foster’s most recent blog tells you everything you needed to know. If you don’t understand balance sheets or budgets, that’s a whole another issue. What are you hoping to accomplish with this letter to the editor? Just curious.
Get your facts straight. The salaries that were being referenced DID NOT come out of the special education fund. Mr Fosters most recent blog gave no new details and as a matter of fact spoke to the community as if they were a bunch of children. No new information was provided. The school board members that contributed to the article at no time gave a more detailed explanation or even an apology for not doing their jobs as required by their positions. The whole group is disgusting.
And finally, if I want to call email write letters or send smoke signals for that matter asking the superintendent and/or school board about their actions and poor decision making skills I have that right as a taxpayer and voter. So for the board and superintendent to say they will not answer questions is complete bullshit. Yes Mr Bixby, Mrs Staudt and Mr Foster…your actions are prove that you have zero regard for the future of our school district.
No one is happy with the situation but Mr Foster’s blog and school board response is more of an answer than what we’ve been given previously. Some of you are too thick headed to realize that. Also, a few of you are letting your emotions run rampant and quite frankly, the people that are raising the most hell about this are probably the ones that are least qualified to talk about this subject in the first place. Time to move on and hope that the board has learned from their mistakes.
I suppose you are much more qualified? The school board that allowed this to happen, are they more qualified? A new superintendent, who unsuccessfully attempted this very thing at his previous school, is he more qualified?The people involved in working on practical solutions for our district seem to have been able to gather the information needed when the previously mentioned couldn’t/didn’t. Kristy Lammers is really going to enjoy that brick she plans on throwing…