Board cancels school levy
Hungry Horse News
Attention voters: The School district 6 mill levy is canceled. The school board election is canceled, too.
The School District 6 board voted Monday to cancel both ballots. The levy was canceled because the Legislature passed and Gov. Brian Schweitzer signed House Bill 63, which boosts statewide education funding about $70 million.
For Columbia Falls, it means the district won't have to float a $294,000 levy this year. The school will still have a slight deficit, said Superintendent Michael Nicosia, but it won't require cutting any teaching positions, and the district should be able to bridge the gap.
The board also named attorney Dean Chisholm and Rob Hatton to the board. There was supposed to be an election, but no one ran against either candidate, so they were "elected by acclamation."
The lack of school board candidates has been pervasive - there hasn't been a board election in years.
Now the board has to find a replacement for Larry Wilson. Wilson said he would stay on until the beginning of May while the board sought a new member.
Wilson agreed to sit on the board for a few months while it went over its budget.
Folks interested in the position can contact the administration office at 892-6550 for details.
In a separate matter, the board discussed its relationship with the Montana School Board Association.
Several school board members questioned whether the association was doing its best to lobby for schools like Columbia Falls.
Membership costs about $10,000 annually.
"I don't think we need to be (discussing) every year whether it's a good deal or not," said board member Dave Cheff.
Cheff noted that if they thought the association was doing a good job, there would be no debate. But every year, it seems like they come away wondering if it really serves the district, he said.
The association, among other things, lobbies the state Legislature for school funding. That funding, with the exception of this year, has not kept up with costs for large districts.