WASHINGTON STATE SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

 

Minutes from Board of Trustees Meeting

December 19, 2014

Conference Call

 

 

Board Members Participating:  Denise Colley, Jim Kemp, Ed Snook, Cindy Bennett, Nancy McDaniel, Yang-su Cho, Dennis Mathews and John Glenn.

 

Board Members Absent:  Michelle Farrell and Lorna Walsh.

 

Ex-Officio Members Participating: Berl Colley (Washington Council of the Blind) and Lilly Longshore (Parent Representative).

 

Ex-Officio Members Absent: Doug Trimble (Teachers Association), Scott Hone (Washington Federation of State Employees Local #1225), and Michael Freeman (National Federation of the Blind of Washington).

 

WSSB Staff Members Participating: Dr. Dean Stenehjem (Superintendent), Mary Sarate (Director of Business and Finance) and Janet Kurz (recording secretary).

 

December 19 – 8:00-8:20am

 

Business Meeting:

*      New Business – Budget Update:

o   Dr. Stenehjem stated the Governor released two budgets and both were good for WSSB. 

o   Supplemental Budget Request:  The two positions that were requested (one-on-one interpreter and one-on-one para for a medically fragile student) was not approved. WSSB was encouraged to apply for Safety Net. Dr. Stenehjem stated when Safety Net funds are approved, approximately $28,000 is reduced from the requested amount under what is called a “threshold funding”, which is made up of funds that flow to the district for special education students including all funding sources. WSSB doesn’t receive funding on a per pupil basis and therefore the threshold funding doesn’t make a lot of sense and we would like to see if this could be eliminated when working with WSSB and the Center for Deafness and Hearing Loss. The Office of Financial Management (OFM) offered to work with WSSB to discuss this with OSPI. Dennis offered to work with Dr. Stenehjem in preparation for any meetings that will be held with OSPI. Dr. Stenehjem stated the issue with Safety Net is that it is not intended to be a long-term budget solution and both students that WSSB is requesting staff assistance for are planning to be at WSSB for several years. However, OFM/OSPI have stated that districts do come back to Safety Net on a regular basis.

o   Birth-3 Funding: In the Governor’s budget, support for the Birth-3 position was funded.  Ed asked when the funds would be received. This will begin July 1, 2015 if it makes it through the complete legislative process; and hopefully would be $250,000 per year. Currently this position is being funded with private/local funds. Dr. Stenehjem stated WSSB is looking at grants for tele-intervention with families and potentially tele-therapy through our counselor. Dr. Stenehjem feels DeEtte Snyder (B-3 Coordinator) is generating a lot of interest in the state through meetings and presentations and the state will see a huge increase in identified blind and visually impaired infant/toddlers. 

o   Technical Correction:  The decision package for a technical correction was funded in the Governor’s budget (detailed in report below). 

o   Salary Increases:  Ed asked if the salary request for Dr. Stenehjem was reflected in the Governor’s budget. Mary said WSSB received funding for non-represented employees (staff who earn over $2,500 per month will receive 3% the first year and 1.8% the following year and for those who do not earn $2,500 they will receive 1.8% plus $20 per month). Regarding Dr. Stenehjem’s salary, Mary feels there is flexibility with the Board. 

o   Software Upgrades: Mary stated the state is upgrading software and the cost is pushed to agencies which equals approximately $35,000 each year.

o   Tort Claim:  Dr. Stenehjem provided an update for the Board.

o   Winter Holiday Concert:  At last evenings concert one of the students fainted and fell off the stage in the Sherman Auditorium.  The student is fine and back in school this morning. The student was transported to the hospital for a complete check-up. Yang-su asked if there was an indicator at the edge of the Sherman Auditorium stage that would assist blind and visually impaired people in knowing where the edge was.  Dr. Stenehjem stated there is a 30% up-slope and students were about 3 feet back from the edge. This incident occurred when the student fainted and had nothing to do with blindness or visual impairment.

o   Transportation:  John asked if there were any implications for WSSB regarding Governor Inslee’s “Carbon Tax” initiative (i.e. reducing pollution).  Dr. Stenehjem said there wasn’t.    

 

There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 8:20am.  The next Board meeting will be held via conference call on January 14, 2015 at 7:30pm.     

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Ed Snook, Chair                                                                                 Dean O. Stenehjem, Ed.D., Superintendent

                                                                                                                                                                                                               

 

BUSINESS OFFICE REPORT-SPECIAL BOARD MEETING

 

1.       2013-15 SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET

The governor’s budget proposes to increase our budget by $101,000 for the $103,000 technical error made in the original budget.  We received a ($2,000) decrease as a “Central Services Efficiency Savings”.  The justification cited was “The Legislature directed OFM to reduce agency allotments in the 2013-15 biennium to reflect efficiency savings.  Fiscal year 2015 appropriations are reduced in affected agency budgets to reflect these reductions.”

 

                                                                                                                                Year 1                    Year 2

NET INCREASE/(DECREASE) =                                                                             $.00                       $101,000

 

2.       2015-17 BUDGET

Maintenance Level

The governor’s proposed budget increases our maintenance level by $105,000 in year 1 and $114,000 in year 2 of pass-thru funding for various central service agency charges and increases in workers compensation and pension rate changes.  An increase of $103,000 in each year is also being proposed and is very important to our operating budget but is merely a technical correction and not a true increase to our funding.

                                                                                                                                Year 1                    Year 2

        NET INCREASE/(DECREASE) =                                                                             $.00                       $.00

 

Performance Level

The governor’s proposed budget decreases our performance level by ($17,000) in year 1 and ($27,000) in year 2 for various efficiencies the state is proposing in central service agency charges by Consolidated Technology Services (CTS), Fleet Program Rate Reductions and Employee Benefits rates.  These decreases, technically, should net to zero.  They decrease our funding and should alternately decrease the billings we receive.

 

Also included are the following increases:

                                                                                                                                Year 1                    Year 2

Birth to Three Services                                                                                  $250,000              $250,000

Salary Increases                                                                                                $201,000              $323,000

NET INCREASE/(DECREASE) =                                                                     $451,000              $573,000

 

19B

Since some of our programs are funded by 19B, we do not get general fund funding for increases.  They increase our authorization to spend but do not attach funding.  Our authority to spend was increased by $83,000 in year 1 and $126,000 in year 2 which is the total needed to fund salary increases and benefits costs.