Caledonia Argus

School board cuts business manager's job

Posted: 3/26/02

By Shannon McKinney
Argus News Reporter

When school board members of ISD #299 resolved to cut $12,000 from the office of the business manager position, they essentially cut the position.

At its Monday, March 18, meeting, the board voted unanimously not to offer business manager, Gretchen Anderson a contract for the coming year.

Board member Bruce Bulman told The Argus, ìIf itís going to be cut $12,000, than how can it be the same position?î

Currently, the business manager receives $55,328.96 annually, including benefits. The budget committee recommended cutting $12,000 from that position.

After the board approved not renewing the contract, it decided to set up a committee to look at rewriting the job description and to also look at the possibility of outsourcing some the positionís duties.

The position of business office manager has experienced some changes in the past five years.

During former superintendent Don Wilkeís tenure, the position took on the added responsibility of developing the school budget for the next year. This was a duty that had been previously handled by Miles Miller, superintendent before Wilke.

During a workflow assessment conducted last year by Darwin Viker of LAWCO and Associates, it was suggested that the business manager was taking on too many responsibilities. In a district the size of ISD #299, Viker said budgeting was a responsibility that was handled by the superintendent. Also, according to his assessment, bills payable were not taken care of promptly because of too heavy a workload.

Some of the workload problems have since been addressed. For example, Superintendent Percy Lingen and Anderson now work on the budget together.

The districtís contract with Anderson expires June 30, 2002.

District waits for response from Van Den Boom

After turning down a contract with Athletic Director Ken Van Den Boom by a 5-2 vote, the district now wait to see if he will accept a counter offer.

The proposal was brought forward by Lingen and was contingent on Van Den Boomís retirement. It includes Van Den Boom being athletic/activities director next year at a cost of $4,600. In addition, the district would pay the difference (approximately $13,800) of the cost of full coverage of health insurance for the next nine years, until Van Den Boom reaches the age of 65. When a teacher retires, they receive $3,500 a year for health insurance. The retiree would have to pay more if they wanted full coverage. This year the total cost for full coverage is $4,980, so the difference is $1,480, and over the course of nine years it is about $13,800. This totals about $18,400.

The proposal was termed by some board members as a good deal, but others thought the deal sounded questionable and sketchy.

Van Den Boom has worked for the school district for 34 years and is eligible for retirement this year. He currently works 3/4 time as a science teacher and 1/4 time as the athletic director. He is also the girlsí golf coach, but his salary for that is not an issue of discussion.

Board member Suzanne Roesler felt uncomfortable approving an agreement that involved paying someone insurance money nine years after the job was completed.

Board members Cheryl Whitesitt and Barb Hurley felt that it wasnít right to hire someone when a job description for activities director hadnít yet been written.

Bulman and board member Dave Klinski felt that Lingenís proposal was a good deal. Athletic Directors generally receive twice as much as what was proposed. Also, if Van Den Boom retires, his replacement would cost the district significantly less than what heís being paid now as a science teacher or athletic director.

The board finally compromised with a 5-2 vote, Whitesitt and Hurley dissenting, by offering Van Den Boom the same amount of money. But instead of paying him for the difference in the full coverage insurance over the course of nine years, he would be paid in one lump sum.

Bulman explained that this situation would actually mean less money for Van Den Boom because of that money being taxed and the rate of inflation will cause that insurance to increase. Van Den Boom will have to pay for the insurance difference on his own.

Bulman noted that in the seven years that heís been board member, full coverage insurance has doubled.

Bulman said, ìThe ball is in his court now. It wouldnít have been if weíd taken his offer.î

Van Den Boom has a short time limit to respond to the counter offer as all retirements must be submitted by April 1 to be considered.

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