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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (March 5, 2009)
Page 14 The INDEPENDENT, March 5, 2009 Banks School Board asks for line-by-line budget cut information From page 13 could be ‘saved’ for each in- structional day cut from the cal- endar and recommended that the board cut eight school days. Board member Will Moore expressed a need to see specific items and dollar amounts that have already been cut from the budget and a specific plan for further reduc- tions in order to respond appro- priately to public concerns. Explaining the proposed cuts in sports funding, Foster said that the team “hadn’t touched sports,” and that non- league baseball and softball games would be cut and the track team would go to fewer meets, resulting in a savings of about $5000 at the high school. At the junior high, about $4000 would be saved by reducing the number of contests and reduc- ing travel. The administrative team told the board that the rel- atively small savings was im- portant to ensure that all pro- grams are impacted by budget reduction while limiting the damage to student programs. Run with Extra Confidence with Chevron DELO 400 ™ PLUS MOTOR OIL The name you trust for: • Gasoline • Diesel Fuel • Oils • Solvents • Additives • Greases However, the principals said, only if the board approved cuts to spring sports would students have an opportunity to fund raise to offset cuts. Eventually, the board told the administra- tive team that they had no ob- jection to administrators an- nouncing cuts in spring sports programs to high school and junior high students. Levear agreed to furnish board members with line-by- line information about changes already made by the adminis- trative team and to present a plan, with options, at the regu- lar board meeting March 9. Other than cutting days, he said, the only other option would be for the board to con- sider reducing the ending fund balance below five percent. This is allowed by the policy but would require board action. The purpose of maintaining a signif- icant ending fund balance is to avoid borrowing to cover oper- ating expenses that occur be- fore revenue is received, i.e. expenses must be covered when school starts in Septem- ber although revenues start coming in much later. The state school fund provides 60 per- cent of the district budget and makes the first payment, based on enrollment, in late October. There were two items of good news, Levear announced. First, the sale of the refunding bond was extremely successful and will save district patrons $645,000 (instead of the ex- pected $500,000) over the 10- year repayment period. This will not provide revenue, but represents a significant reduc- tion of expenses on loan serv- ice. Second, the completion of last year’s audit revealed an additional $320,000 in the end- ing fund balance. Free respite care offered in Canby What is Respite Care? (you might ask...) Respite is a word that is not commonly used. Respite is simply a period of rest from something that is very chal- lenging. Providing 24/7 care for someone with Alzheimer’s, Parkinson disease, or other age-related dementia is ex- hausting. Caregivers in these situations need a break, a respite, from their duties of managing care in the home. Adult day services and pro- grams are designed to give the caregiver a time to rest, rejuve- nate, and have a chance to recharge their own batteries. At Thelma's Place, Adult Day Services are provided for caregivers so they can get the break they need and deserve, which allows their loved one to participate in activities that are engaging, meaningful and pro- mote social involvement. As Thelma’s Place grows and reaches more families Please see page 20 Empty Bowls event in St. Helens to fight hunger From page 8 tributed bowls for this event, as they have in years past. Ac- cording to event coordinator Susan Conn, “The resources of the Food Bank are stretched thin and donations are needed throughout the year. We are grateful for the generosity of the people in this community who support Empty Bowls each year and invite them to again help us raise funds to feed the hungry.” HISTORY OF EMPTY BOWLS: In 1990 a high school art teacher in Michigan helped his students solve a problem. They were searching for a way to raise funds to support a food drive. What evolved was a class project to make ceramic bowls for a fund raising meal. Guests were served a simple meal of soup and bread, and were invited to keep the bowl as a reminder of hunger in the world. Since then, Empty Bowls events have been held throughout the world, and mil- lions of dollars have been raised to combat hunger. For tickets or more informa- tion about the Empty Bowls Fundraiser, please call the CC- CCF office at 503-397-7211. Between the Bookends S EE US FOR H EATING O IL D ECK & S HINGLE O IL A NTI F REEZE CALL (503) 429-6606 WILCOX & FLEGEL 720 Rose Avenue • Vernonia From page 12 day. Set in South Carolina, the mystery unfolds around the Bravissimo Club’s fund raiser for the Charleston Opera. Theodosia Browning is in the thick of things, hosting a tea and a masked ball. Then she finds the dead body of her arch neme- sis, Abby Davis. And the victim’s brother hap- pens to be her old flame. Who would have guessed a murder would reunite them. The book includes recipes and tea time tips. Cream Puff Murder by Joanne Fluke. This is another tasty mystery, including more than twelve dessert recipes. It is winter in Lake Eden, Minnesota, and Hannah Swensen is ready to curl up with some sweets and her sweetie. Un- fortunately, he has become a murder suspect. The victim, a man-eating bombshell named Ron- ni Ward, had plenty of enemies, though, so there is no shortage of suspects. Hannah is soon in- volved trying to narrow the list of suspects while being micromanaged by her suspended detec- tive-boyfriend Mike Kingston. Night and Day by Robert B. Parker. Paradise, Massachusetts, police chief Jesse Stone con- fronts a town’s darkest secrets in the shocking new novel from one of America’s favorite mys- tery writers. Stone receives a report of lewd con- duct by a junior high school principal. The female principal has been inspecting students’ under- garments for propriety. Stone would like to bring her down, but she has a powerful husband who wants the matter dropped. On the darker side, a man is stalking the town’s women, peering through windows at first, then making more threatening advances. Banks Public Library: 111 Market Street. Hours: Mon., Fri., Sat., 11 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Tues., Wed., Thurs., 11 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. Preschool Story Time: Wednesdays, 10:15 a.m. Phone: (503 ) 324-1382 for information Internet: www.wccls.org Browse library resources, reserve or renew materials online. Call for information.