GAINESVILLE - Gainesville school board members said Monday night they need to know more about how the city's proposed "island annexation" would impact the school system.
School Superintendent Merrianne Dyer said they don't know how many students are on those county "islands" inside Gainesville that would become part of Gainesville under annexation.
"We have a concern about the number of students and how it could impact our school system," Dyer said.
Dyer said if a lot of school children were suddenly annexed into the city, there would be no time to plan for them.
SPENDING CUT PLAN
Dyer also recommended a spending cut plan with the system facing a half million-dollar state funding cut and slow tax revenues. She told board members they could expect the impact of the revenue shortfall to hit early next year.
Dyer said she wants to decrease spending in areas that won't hurt students; she said she plans to present her plan when the board meets next month.
Gainesville Schools Finance Director Janet Allison told board members tax revenues are slow and the board may need to extend its tax anticipation note into next year.
She reported current revenues at just over $14 million with expenses at over $17 million.
"We may not have quite enough to do it until January and that's it," Allison said. "That's not a good thing, but if it's not there, it's not there."
Allison told the board an audit report ready by next April would show the exact amount of the deficit, estimated at $5.8 million.
FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
School board member Willie Mitchell said students should be allowed freedom of political expression as long as it's not disruptive. Mitchell said he heard from middle school students that is not what happened the day after the presidential election two weeks ago.
"They were just talking about who got elected president and they said you can't talk about that. Thatâ
Friday
October 18th, 2024
10:26AM
