Budget O-rama

Overwhelmed with more pressing concerns in recent meetings the business services committee has put off the usual consideration of the routine budget items that we normally work through each month. As a result much of next Wednedays meeting will be spent catching up with a long list of department budgets:

IX. Discussion and Possible Approval of the Following Budgets for 2009-2010
A. 535 – Superintendent’s Office
B. 537 – Business Office
C. Funds 38 & 39 – Debt Service
D. 539 – Transportation (Funds 10 & 27) – John VanderMerwe
E. 540 – Buildings & Grounds – Mark Scullion
Including District Utilities and Capital Maintenance Budgets
F. 541 – Technology – Bill Herman
G. 878 – Jump Start
H. 879 – Summer School
I. 880 – Pupil Services Budgets (Funds 10-& 27)
J. 881 – Early Learning Fair
K. 883 – Special Education Department Tuition Budgets (Funds 10 & 27)
L. 884 – Excel


Don't miss the fun!

Signs, signs, everywhere a sign...

Question: Does any care about the City of Monona sign ordinances?

When I ran for election I was careful to follow the rules. Today I can find at least on example for every candidate that is in violation. Aside from adding to the visual clutter, this abuse runs up the cost of local elections and puts those who abide by the rules at a disadvantage. Should we repeal the ordinance, or enforce it?

Update: According to The Isthmus the city threatened enforcement of the sign ordinance in at least one case last summer: http://www.isthmus.com/isthmus/article.php?article=23414

If parts of the rules are unconstitutional, then its time to rewrite them so all the candidates know where they stand and can follow the same rules; and so the city doesn't end up in court over it.

Candidates forum

If you haven't noticed, its because it has been a quiet campaign for school board so far this year. But that doesn't mean it's not as important as ever. The district faces a host of difficult issues including a structural deficit, an unsupportable OPEB liability, a state budget deficit, a shift to outcome and readiness standard based education, the need for careful unbiased strategic planning and the widespread pain being felt by the taxpayer in the current economy.

Now more then ever the district needs people with dedication, experience and understanding of organizational management, school system finance, compensation issues, strategic planning, continuous improvement, the ability to do in-depth research and the tools to reach unbiased conclusions from complex information. We need people who know how to work together and get things done and understand that in democratic institutions compromise is the key to progress.

I'd ask you keep these things in mind when you attend the:

School Board Candidates' Forum Sunday, March 15, 4-6 PM in the MGHS Library.

Energy Savings...

Last night the board approved the "Guaranteed Energy Savings Agreement" portion of the contract with McKinstry. This agreement will enable the district to finance up to $2 million dollars and use the money to perform energy upgrades to our schools. The money saved of our energy bill will be used to pay back the financed sum. McKinstry will guarantee that the savings are realized, and if they aren't will make up the difference. The projects will have an average simple payback time of about 10years.

This program has two primary goals. First, over the long term this will place the district in a superior financial condition, with reduced operating costs. Currently we spend over $850,000 each year on energy costs - something that is sure to rise and can be unpredictable. Second, it will reduce the "carbon footprint" of the district. The total decrease in CO2 emissions is estimated to be 2 million pounds per year. Reducing our emissions will provide a positive example for our students and community and sends the message that we can and will take positive steps toward a sustainable future.

Quite a number of students turned out as an expression of their concern for this issue, and got to witness slow motion excersize which is progress. Maury Smith (HS Math teacher) eloquently argued the environmental importance of moving forward with this issue, and Rob Everhart spoke of the need to move forward now.

The district energy budget was an issue I raised in my campaign as an important place we could make a little contribution to the budget outlook. I am pleased that we have been able to take this small step.

March 11th Board Meeting

Wednesday's meeting is 7pm at Nichols, the agenda is here.

We will be discussing potential budget cuts, the Ad Hoc grade configuration committee, the open enrollment process and an audit of the district's HR capabilities. In addition we will have the McKinstry Energy Performance Contract up for approval, along with the changes to the Glacial Drumlin Bell times.

Sidewalks-

Alder Chad Speight posted in the comments section this bit about sidewalks:

I wanted to address the issue of sidewalks, and more broadly, the need to make our streets safer and more inviting to pedestrians.

Monona is a great community in many ways, but Monona is not a pedestrian-friendly community. The simple fact is that the school district is required to provide busing to many students, at great expense to taxpayers, who would otherwise be able to walk to school if our streets were accommodating to pedestrians.

While it IS possible to walk in the street, or to walk through yards on the public right of way, fewer people walk due to the lack of sidewalks and other design features that would make walking safer. So safer streets would allow us to spend less money busing children.

I have often heard comments from parents that Monona needs more sidewalks, and safer streets. While I allow my children to walk or bike around town on clear, sunny days, I always insist on driving them around town when visibility is poor, since I know they will be in the street. And adults make similar decisions.

The result of driving rather than walking has many ill-effects. We waste money on gas, add more wear and tear on our vehicles and roads; and we are less healthy. Not to mention the negative environmental impact of more pollution.

The Safe Routes To School (SRTS) program was started in 2005 to assist communities like Monona, providing valuable grant funding to help improve pedestrian infrastructure like cross-walks and sidewalks. SRTS was established by a Republican Congress and signed by President Bush for all of the reasons stated above, that walking is better for us that driving, particularly for school children. Monona needs to develop a long-range plan to improve our pedestrian infrastructure, and SRTS is a great program that will help pay for any improvements we make.

I proposed the Friendly Streets Ordinance last summer to initiate discussion in our community about such improvements. We have been discussing improvements at Public Safety and Public Works for the last 4 months. I do NOT believe that Monona needs sidewalks on every street, but I do believe that main thoroughfares, which I identified in my original ordinance, need sidewalks or significant improvements which make pedestrian travel safer.

I believe that the lack of safe streets contributes to the lack of families with young children moving into our community, and I presented my ideas to the Family Attraction Committee last month. Some people argue that Monona will lose it's special character if we add any sidewalks, but I think Dean and Nichols Road are just as much a part of Monona as any other street, and both streets already have sidewalks.

I am not willing to wait for a child or anyone else to be hit by a car to decide that this is a priority. I realize that a very vocal group of sidewalk opponents exist in Monona, but I am willing to speak up for the many people who happen to disagree, but who have been afraid to speak up.

I believe that we need to avoid or reduce cutting down trees, by allowing any new sidewalks to meander around mature trees whenever possible. We will need to evaluate all options carefully. I also have proposed adding sidewalks only on one side of the street, to reduce costs. If we can obtain full grant funding, then no property tax assessments would be required. If only partial funding is obtained, then I would support adding the costs of these improvements into the capital budget, to avoid any special assessments, in recognition that these select new paths are for the benefit of ALL citizens. Since most citizens will never have a sidewalk, the few that might get one should not be assessed for costs that exceed any grant funding. The exception would be my own front yard, which needs a sidewalk, and I would gladly pay that assessment.

I want Monona to retain our great community spirit, and I believe that adding a few sidewalks on main residential thoroughfares will help us continue to thrive and prosper, as a great place to raise a family, or simply a great place to live for people of all ages.

A positive next step would be the formation of a SRTS Task force to create a priority list of improvements that would make our streets safer, and allow the district to reduce busing costs. The SRTS program guide suggests that such a task force be comprised of elected leaders, school administrators, parents, and other concerned citizens.

I hope that we can have a healthy dialogue which leads to real improvements in our great city. Please contact me if you are interested in serving on a task force to address this vital public issue.

Sincerely,

Alderman Chad Speight

As Chad points out, the lack of sidewalks transfers costs to the school district, parents and others who might walk if they felt safer. I would like to see better pedestrian corridors established throughout the city, designed to ease access both to schools and community ammenities.