The Sitka School District was still in a precarious place with its budget, when Sitka’s new superintendent Deidre Jenson got into the driver’s seat officially on Wednesday night (4-3-24).
Typically by April, the school district should be close to finalizing its budget, but with next year’s state funding level still uncertain, Jenson said they have some hard decisions ahead.
“So we have some challenges that we’re looking at, and we are not alone. As it was mentioned, there’s a lot of other districts that are in the same same boat as we are,” Jenson said. “We’re doing everything possible that we can to save as many positions and programs, and we have a phenomenal staff, and I think that is what we have to remember that…everyone is valued.”
Board President Tristan Guevin said that even if they drain the district’s $1.4 million in budget reserves, they’d still be in a deficit of around $2.6 million dollars.
“That’s factored in using about 100% of our fund balance or our emergency fund,” Guevin said. “That has really occupied both my time and my mind, and, I would say, my heart.”
“In past years, oftentimes this budget deficit has has gone away,” he added. “And this year, I kind of keep expecting that. But it doesn’t seem like it will with where the state is at.
The school board will hold a budget work session on April 11 to discuss some of the options to tackle the budget deficit moving forward. In addition to discussing eliminating 10 or more positions, at a meeting in late March, the board discussed closing the Blatchley pool, should the city not take it over, and moving kindergarten and first grade to Keet Gooshi Heen Elementary as possible cost-saving measures over the next couple of years.
Contract updates
With budget woes looming, the prospect of updating contracts for school buses and janitorial services gave some Sitka school board members heartburn.
Bussing for the Sitka School District is provided by outside contractor Prewitt Enterprises. The contract is up for renewal and will cost the district around $150,000 more annually. Prewitt Enterprises was the sole bidder on a request for proposals from the district. District staff said insurance costs had increased, and also speculated that in their bid, Prewitt Enterprises was accounting for inflation and the rising cost of fuel and employment.
School board member Tom Williams said he couldn’t support the increased expense.
“I’m just going to round up and say $800,000 a year, $24,000 per contract,” Williams said. “That seems like an awful lot of money. Seems like this is something that if we invested in the infrastructure ourselves, it would save us in the long run quite a bit of money.”
Board President Tristan Guevin said the school district managing its own fleet of buses wasn’t feasible now, but it’s something they could explore at the end of the five-year contract. And board member Phil Burdick said the increase wasn’t optimal, but it seemed reasonable.
“Knowing you know, the work that Trudy [Prewitt] has done with the district and how closely she’s partnered with us, and how seriously she takes the work that she does, including the safety of our children…I appreciate her really stalwart dedication to the district and making sure that our kids get to school on time,” Burdick said. “And knowing how much fuel has gone up and knowing how much costs have gone up, including, you know, needing to pay our people more.”
The contract renewal passed on a 4-1 vote with Williams opposed.
The contract for custodial services for all of the schools was also up for renewal. The current contract holder, NANA Management Services, submitted the winning bid, just under $700,000 for the one-year contract with options to renew over the next four years. Williams said he could support the contract this time, but wanted to see a breakdown of what providing custodial services in-house would cost the district next year. The contract was unanimously approved.
