D-26 Find Ways to Save, Cut Back

Cary School District 26 is going through financial problems, so anyway the district can save funds, the better.

Steve Fields, coordinator of operations, has been working with the Alpha building and maintenance to reduce cost for next year.

ABM is no longer required by law to offer benefits to their employees working in the district, therefore they will be giving the district a reduction to the contract through benefits and reduction of five full-time equivalents, due to the closing of Prairie Hill School.

 The monthly cost for ABM is $66,000 for annual cost of $793,000 during the 2010-2011 fiscal year.

 However, with the new contract, the district will save $283,000, bringing the annual cost down to $513,000 for the 2011-2012 fiscal year.

 Some of the board members had concerns about personnel possibly leaving but Fields said in response, "I don’t think there will be any personnel changes with benefits changing."

 Superintendent Brian Coleman added, that the building and maintenance crew has been very responsive.

The administration recommended the district to go forward with the contract and at the full Cary District 26 Board of Education will have the opportunity to approve the contract at the regular board of education meeting on June 27.

(Numbers used in this article represents the base contract and does not include any credits or overtime costs)