The independent., August 15, 2002, Page 2, Image 2

Page 2
The INDEPENDENT, August 15, 2002
ÌS
A
OF
C c A iA e ft.e e
Success is result of
planning, hard work
Congratulations are due the volunteers who served
on this year’s Jamboree committee. It takes a lot of
time, a lot of planning and a lot of hard work to pull it all
together. In addition to the committee members, there
are literally hundreds of people who work on specific
activities such as the Lions Barbecue, the horse gam­
ing show, or the cruise in.
The activities were well run, the crowds were large,
the vendors were professional and clean up was done
daily - sometimes several times daily. Even the weath­
er cooperated; the showers on Sunday morning
weren’t a problem.
There will, of course, be complaints, because it was­
n’t perfect and there are people who simply must con­
centrate on whatever goes wrong. Of course, you will
never find those complainers among the hard-working
volunteers.
So, congratulations to everyone who worked to make
the FriendshiD Jamboree a success; you earned it.
Budget crisis is no joke
Gov. John Kitzhaber was right to veto legislation that
relies on dishonest accounting and pushes today’s
budget crisis into the next biennium, and longer. Nev­
ertheless, there is a crisis in public funding, especially
in education.
Please read the adjacent article to get an idea of
how Vernonia School District may have to deal with the
shortfall. Now is the time for anyone who may have
ideas that could stretch available funds. It’s obvious
that we can all do something to help, whether it’s mow­
ing the lawns, volunteering in the classroom or as a
coach, making a cash donation, or something else.
Education is too important to leave to that bunch of
whining babies in the legislature.
— NOTICE —
The INDEPENDENT is published on the first and third Thursday
of each month. There are five Thursdays in August, so there will be
three weeks between this issue and the first issue in September.
Deadline for the issue of September 5, 2002, will be August 30,
2002.
The office will be closed at times next week, but phone calls will
be returned when messages are left. Contact us by phone: 503-
429-9410, ore-m ail: noni@vemonia.com
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47 J faces potential loss of $280,000
News of the governor’s ve­ state school fund, so that all
Level Two, $135,000:
toes of $317 million was re­ schools across the state get an
Cut funds for jun io r high
ceived by the Vernonia School amount of money determined sports
District while it was in the midst by form ula. The form ula is
Reduce K-8 Media Center
of developing plans for this based on student attendance staff
eventuality. Though Vernonia and is adjusted for a variety of
Eliminate leadership team
Superintendent Mike Funder- factors. The budget includes position
burg will not return from vaca­ funds that may be used only for
Further reduce the number
tion until August 19, he held specific purposes - such as of in-service days
meetings with the administra­ special education, tebhnology
tive team prior to leaving.
or food service - that will not be Level Three, $155,000:
Eliminate a 1/2-time grant
If the vetoes stand, Vernonia affected by the reduction in the
writing
position
School District will have to cut general fund.
Eliminate additional mainte­
approximately $280 thousand
At the last meeting of the
from the general fund in the district budget com m ittee, nance position
Eliminate one teaching posi­
budget approved for 2002-03, which is composed of seven
which was $171,000 less than community members and sev­ tion
Elim inate funds for high
the 2001-2002 budget.
en school board members, for­
Vernonia is fortunate in one mer Superintendent Larry Mc­ school wrestling
respect: The reduction in the Clellan presented a series of
The budget committee rec­
state school fund represents budget cuts developed by the
ommended a district-wide in­
only about five percent of the administrative team to be con­
ventory to identify surplus
district’s general fund budget, sidered by the committee for
equipment, and that surplus
according to Deputy Clerk recommendation to the board.
equipment be sold, with the
Dawn Plews. Some districts, Each series, or level, repre­
proceeds dedicated to the pur­
which receive a greater portion sents decreased spending, but
chase of textbooks and future
of funding from the state school priorities were not set within
textbook adoptions.
fund, may lose as much as 13 each level.
The committee further rec­
percent of their general fund.
The levels as presented are: ommended that the three re­
The general fund is, by far,
duction levels be used by the
the largest fund within the dis­ Level One, $45,000:
board as a starting point, if
trict budget, and pays for most
Reduce ending fund balance budget reductions became
functions, including salaries. As
Sell surplus equipment
necessary, and that additional
a result of property tax reform,
Eliminate one in-service day
input be included at the time re­
all monies received from other
Eliminate funding for field ductions need to take place.
sources are used to offset the trips
Please see page 8
total dollars received from the