February brings us many celebrations! Our winter athletic teams are having really great seasons, students attending school online have decreased, and the number of students that have been ill or in quarantine have been dramatically reduced.
If you remember, I have mentioned the "Funding Cliff", when the incentive money from the state no longer will come into the district, this is over $600,000 from the General Fund that the district will stop receiving at the end of fiscal year 2022. Due to declining enrollment over the years, we are about 65% of the way to our goal, thanks to our retirement incentive. General Fund money can be spent on a variety of items, the largest being staffing, at over 80% of expenses.
Facility maintenance and update are areas that need attention. Our district buildings are structurally sound. West Union Elementary (WUE) is in immediate need of a heating system. The original 1959 steam supply lines and unit ventilators have begun to wear through the piping. This is not unusual for a system of this age. Additionally, other buildings have areas that are in need of replacement due to wear or inefficiency.
Just like funding much needed repairs and upgrades at your home, we are working on prioritizing the list. The problem we face is that WUE needs so much attention, there will be very little money left for regular maintenance and efficiency improvements at the other buildings. In the upcoming months, we will be working to solve these issues.
The NFV Board of Education and Administration are committed to being fiscally responsible while extending the life, usefulness, and safety of our facilities.
