School budget committee needs member

The Sisters School District's Budget Committee is one member short. Any district resident who is qualified to register to vote and who is neither an officer nor employee of the school district is eligible to serve on the committee.

The school board will appoint the new member to a two-year term that will expire on June 30, 2009.

School board members hope an individual who is interested in learning more about how the district functions will come forward to serve.

"I think the budget committee is a great introduction for someone who may be considering serving as a school board member someday," school board chairman Mike Gould said.

Previous experience participating in school activities and/or on committees is a desirable pre-requisite for the prospective candidate, although not required. The ability to solve problems in a positive manner is advantageous.

Attendance at budget committee meetings and a willingness to commit time to review and consider budget materials are essential.

According to Gould, the actual time required to serve on the budget committee is fairly minimal: "probably less than 10 hours total service."

Five community members accompanied by the five school board members make up the budget committee.

"They are basically an oversight committee that looks at the budget as it's prepared to be sure that the district is spending the taxpayers' money in the best possible way to educate the students of the district," said Superintendant Ted Thonstad.

The first budget committee meeting is scheduled for May 14.

"They will hear the budget message and receive a copy of the budget," Thonstad said.

During the process of reviewing the budget, committee members may entertain questions from district taxpayers and have the ability to suggest increases or decreases in the proposed budget.

At their second meeting committee members will discuss the budget in light of all information they have received. Normally, they approve the budget at their third meeting, after which the Sisters School Board will give its stamp of approval.

"That's pretty typical. It's usually a three meeting process," Thonstad said.

A major responsibility of the budget committee is to set the tax levee amounts. This action sets the level of spending for the year and specifies the property tax amount.

"We have to set levee amounts for the taxes to be collected, and we have to set it for the property tax amount. We have to approve it for the local option and for the two bond measures, and basically they (the budget committee) pass a motion that includes those amounts. The business office will calculate all of those (figures)," Thonstad said.

All budget committee meetings are open to the public, and Thonstad encourages the district taxpayers to attend.

The current vacancy on the budget committee is a result of the appointment on March 1 of past budget committee member Tom Dumolt to the school board. Dumolt will serve as a member of the Sisters School Board for the next three months until June 30.

Any eligible resident interested in serving on the budget committee is asked to contact school board secretary Mary Clark at 549-8521 to obtain an application packet. E-mail expressing interest to [email protected] or drop by the district office at 525 E. Cascade Ave. during regular business hours to pick up a packet.

The completed application must be returned to Clark by Friday, April 13, at 4 p.m. The Sisters School Board plans to appoint the new budget committee member at its meeting on April 23.