The Daniel Boone School Board was split Sept. 14 on whether to proceed with more studies of the district’s facilities and enrollment, in order to determine future years’ budgets.
Finance Committee Chairman Andrew Basile said a $16,000 study by Jim Thompson, of Thompson & Assoc., Brentwood, Tenn., would evaluate the district’s facilities report as well as the district’s use of its different resources.
He said a timeline for the Thompson & Assoc. studies would be discussed at the Sept. 17 Finance Committee meeting.
“We would need to get moving this fall,” said Basile, adding that the committee is also considering an enrollment study with the PA Economy League.
Board members said the resulting reports would need to indicate how the district could and should be using its resources.
“I would make a recommendation of the best way to move forward,” said board member Connor Kurtz, “but also of the impact and feedback from the administration.”
“We didn’t get our money worth out of the Facilities Reserve Study,” said member Connor Kurtz, adding, “Will look at wise spending of money on more studies like this.”
That study was completed last year and cost the district $69,000.
The 20-year facility study indicated that $41 million is needed over the next 20 years to keep all district buildings operational.
Facilities Committee Chairperson Tamara D. Twardowski said last October that the five-year repair estimate is $8.1 million.
Basile said the public has stated at various school board meetings their assumptions for declining enrollment.
“It’s important for a school board to get specialists to look at the data,” said Basile.
“The PA Economy League had a 97 percent accuracy in predicting enrollment over five years. Our school district has been encumbered with debt to the year 2034.”
He said the district should have contracted with specialists years ago before building the Monocacy Elementary Center and encumbering additional debt.
“Birthrates determine enrollment. It is the board’s responsibility to do their due diligence. There have been too many bad decisions that have impacted the school district.”
“Do we want to move forward with a third party enrollment study with the PA Economy League,” asked Basile.
“When the administration has provided information [that the board requested], there seems to be a push-back from the community that they don’t believe the data. So, where do we get information the public will trust?”
Board President Richard Martino said Business Manager Loren Small had previously presented the board with enrollment predictions.
Martino asked Small to compare his predictions with the actual enrollment figures and present that data at the Sept. 28 voting meeting.
