歪歪漫画

BEMIDJI 鈥� Ashley Eastridge has transitioned out of her role as accounting services coordinator after being named the new district business director for Bemidji Area 歪歪漫画s.

During a special meeting on Monday, the Bemidji Area 歪歪漫画s Board of Education unanimously approved Eastridge鈥檚 employment effective Tuesday and authorized her to perform treasurer duties.

Eastridge succeeds Krisi Fenner, who recently started a new role as vice president for finance and administration for Bemidji State and Northwest Technical College.

鈥淲e went through a pretty rigorous search process, and we were able to narrow it down from five candidates to two candidates,鈥� Superintendent Jeremy Olson said at Monday鈥檚 meeting. 鈥淎fter careful consideration of information from the interview committee and balancing what our needs are in the district 鈥� we鈥檝e seen a really strong fiscal background (of Eastridge).

鈥淪he has the capacity to develop as a leader and that鈥檚 something that I鈥檝e seen since I鈥檝e been here,鈥� Olson added.

Prior to Eastridge鈥檚 employment in the district, she served as a director with the accounting firm Miller McDonald. She earned her bachelor鈥檚 degree in accounting at Augsburg College and is a certified public accountant.

Eastridge鈥檚 base annual salary will be $137,752.

Following board approval of Eastridge鈥檚 employment, the board entered a closed session to discuss a potential real estate sale, after which it entered a work session.

The board spent considerable time discussing the district鈥檚 cost mitigation strategy including recommendations that could be made at an April meeting.

This conversation comes on the heels of the district鈥檚 2021-2022 audit that was approved at its March 20 regular meeting. Olson detailed that a $2.5 million surplus in the district鈥檚 general fund that year was achieved through over $3 million in federal funds, showcasing a $500,000 deficit in the budget structurally.

He added that over $2.3 million of the district鈥檚 revenue came from the bond issuance for roof repair at Bemidji High 歪歪漫画, which the district will need to pay back over the next few years.

Olson provided the board with potential cost mitigation measures including a reduction in positions, purely as a discussion item. He specifically cited low enrollment and projected class sizes for grades K-3 that could facilitate a reduction of three FTEs, or full-time equivalents, of teachers at the elementary level.

FTEs are a measure of an employee鈥檚 scheduled hours divided by the employer鈥檚 hours for a full-time workweek.

For example, a full-time employee working 40 hours a week would be a 1.0 FTE, while a part-time employee working 20 hours a week is a 0.5 FTE.

Olson noted that cutting three FTEs could save the district $332,500. He also emphasized that his recommendation would not be to reduce people but to reduce positions.

鈥淚n some cases, because we have some resignations now, we鈥檙e in a position where we can decide to not fill the (vacant) positions and, in essence, that reduces our expenses,鈥� Olson said.

Board member Anna Manecke questioned whether the board could make reductions in administration rather than teaching positions.

鈥淒o we ever look at administration? Do we ever look at those numbers and say 鈥榟ow many do we have, how many do we need, how much are we paying,鈥欌�� Manecke said. 鈥淚t seems like we鈥檙e always looking at cutting teachers and that鈥檚 always the focus.鈥�

Olson stated the district is currently operating under a light principal load at the high school level and that this potential reduction could have unintended consequences for teachers.

鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to keep behaviors under wraps at all building levels and that takes staff. That takes principals to do that,鈥� Olson said. 鈥淲hen we looked at what our needs are, cutting a principal would result in not having support for teachers, so I didn鈥檛 feel that was a prudent measure.鈥�

The board did not take action during Monday鈥檚 meeting and is expected to review more proposed budget reductions at an April meeting.

The board discussed other topics concerning the structure of board meetings, committee structure and processes.

The board continued discussion on the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance at the beginning of each meeting, a measure proposed by board member Justin Hoover that was voted down in a 3-3 vote in January.

The role of a school board parliamentarian, which district human resources director Jordan Hickman currently fulfills, was also discussed. The parliamentarian assists the board in understanding 鈥淩obert鈥檚 Rules of Order,鈥� the formal steps of making a motion, attaining a second and voting on agenda items.

The board also debriefed its decision to include the vice chair in the process of setting the agenda, a measure proposed by Manecke in January. The role was previously reserved for the board chair working alongside the superintendent and cabinet members.

The next regular board meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Monday, April 17, in the district board room.