Osseo Area Schools Adopts 2014 Budget, Will Cut $3 Million Next Year

When it comes to the 2014 Osseo Area Schools budget, and the looming budget cuts, there’s one word to describe it: Less.

Next year, there will be less administrators and teachers, less transportation available for athletics, less activities supplies and less communication between the district and the community.

At a District 279 school board meeting Tuesday, Mar. 5, school board members made a final decision on budget cuts that will impact students and staff. School board members made decisions without question Tuesday, mainly because members have spent more than 10 hours in work sessions reviewing budget issues over the last few weeks.

"This has been one of the toughest decisions I've had to make during my tenure on the board," School Board Member Teresa Lunt said. "These reductions impact our students as well as people at all levels of our organization."

School board members adopted the recommended budget, which includes reducing athletic transportation dollars by $30,000 and cutting the activities supplies budget by 20 percent.

Chair Dean Henke was the only school board member who declined to support the motion, saying that reduction in transportation for after school athletics would be detrimental to some students and families.

"While these cuts are going to be painful, I think we've tried to minimize that pain as much as we can," School Board Member Jim Burgett added.

Assistant Superintendent Kim Riesgraf presented the recommended fiscal year 2014 changes that weave in plans for $11 million worth of reductions over the next two years.

Parents will feel the pinch on Saturdays and Sundays when they may not be able to rely on buses to get their children to every athletic event next year. Postage, printing, advertising and contracted services will also be reduced.

After school activities may see a dip in student participation due to a reduction in late activity buses.

Compared to the 2,135,127 non-instructional dollars that will be shaved next year, only 939,382 instructional dollars will be cut. Of that money, special ed teachers will feel the biggest impact, with 12.63 special ed teachers eliminated, though district officials say this change is also due to a decrease in the number of student requiring special education services.

In addition, 1.58 classroom teachers and two water safety instructors will be let go.

In budget summary laid out for 2014, Riesgraf included possibilities for budget cuts in fiscal year 2015, which could include more than $8 million in reductions if additional revenue is not available from the state or local tax payers.

"If you're frustrated too, please take action, please contact your legislators, and tell them how you feel," School Board Member Tammie Epley said. "Please help us prevent having to do this again."

To see the entire adopted budget summary presentation, click here.

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