Sandra Clark
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Revenue sources for Knox County Schools

            State revenue – 41.3%

            County property tax – 29%

            Local sales tax – 27%

            Federal, fees, etc. – 2.7%

Expenses

            Salaries & benefits – 83.5%

            Materials & utilities – 6.3%

            Contracted services (including transportation) – 5.7%

            Other (includes debt from operations budget) – 4.5%

 

Doing the right thing

It was a slim crowd that showed up at West High School last week to hear Superintendent Dr. Jim McIntyre outline his budget proposal and offer feedback.

In fact, only two citizens rattled around in the huge auditorium. (The balance of us worked for media or Knox County.)

It’s too bad, really, because McIntyre gave a masterful performance, and the schools’ needs are great.

But McIntyre didn’t push panic buttons. He didn’t threaten to shut down music or sports. He didn’t saber rattle against County Commission. And, at the end, he said a word I’ve never heard from an administrator in 40 years of school board watching.

In response to the father of a special needs child who argued that less adversarial parent-teacher conferences (called IEPs) would be cost-effective overall, McIntyre noted that less fussing and more collaboration would be “morally” right.

We’ve had superintendents with political clout and others with scores to settle; smart ones and less smart. We’ve got one now who aims to manage the system within the budget he’s given to work with, while advocating new programs and accountability for results. He deserves more support than he got last Tuesday.

In a nutshell, McIntyre restated his priorities – focus on the student, effective educators, engaged parents and community, and infrastructure to enable student learning.

He noted that last year’s board-adopted budget was accepted and funded by the commission, without change. Two commissioners present, Ed Shouse and Finbarr Saunders, nodded.

This fiscal year, assuming revenues are flat, McIntyre expects to start in a $19.2 million hole. Deficit drivers are a potential $6.2 million extra to keep the pension fund actuarially sound and $4 million for state-mandated step pay increases.

McIntyre said administrators will examine every aspect of spending before submitting a budget to the school board. He anticipates a board vote in April. McIntyre will be at Karns High at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 9, and at Central High at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 25. People who care about Knox County Schools should be there too.

Helping in Haiti

County Commissioner and heart surgeon Richard Briggs reported on his 10-day medical mission to Haiti, a trip sponsored by the local Sacred Heart Cathedral.

Haiti’s Jan. 12 earthquake killed 230,000 people and left a million homeless. By contrast, a much more severe earthquake in Chile killed about 800 people, 300 from a tidal wave, because of tougher building standards, he said.

You would think there would be a clearing house for medical and rescue volunteers, Briggs said, but “when we arrived in Port-au-Prince, there was nothing.”

By word-of-mouth, the Knoxville-based team found a hospital. “We had 200 patients without cots or beds. They had open wounds, fractures. We put plates on broken bones and I did skin grafts.”

Each day, a team member was dispatched to find food. On Briggs’ day, he found two jars of unopened peanut butter and some bread. He brought back a picture of a hog’s head floating in a pail and joked that was lunch for the next day. “They didn’t let me go back out.”

Why care about Haiti?

Briggs said there are people there who are really suffering. “We lost a couple of babies who simply starved.

“And it’s really rewarding to (practice medicine) in a place where people appreciate what you do.”

Briggs carried back the memory of a young Haitian medical student whose school was destroyed. “Please, don’t forget me,” he said. “I want to (become a doctor to) help my people.”

Briggs is now networking with medical schools to get the student relocated here for training. He saw relief groups from France, the USA, Mexico and even Cuba. In response to a question, he suggested donations be made to GiveHaitiHope.org or Doctors without Borders.

HPUD sets vote on new rates

Commissioners of Hallsdale-Powell Utility District are set to vote today (March 8) at 1:30 p.m. on a rate increase of 7.5 percent for both sewer and water. Although the increase outpaces inflation, it is less than the 9 percent increase earlier projected.

President Darren Cardwell said, “I feel fortunate to come in where we’re at, considering the year we’ve had.” And board chair Jim Hill said Cardwell and his staff have done a good job controlling expenses.

HPUD, along with other regional utilities, was hammered in 2009 by an abundance of rainfall, which reduced water consumption, and a serious drop in new construction. In all, revenues were about $1.2 million less than projected.

Bart Kreps from Raftelis Financial Consultants presented an overview of the district’s rate model, developed in 2002, at a noon meeting last Monday. Afterwards, the commissioners indicated support of Cardwell’s proposal.

About 40 percent of HPUD’s income goes toward retiring debt.

Kreps cited three “cost drivers”: rising operating and maintenance expenses; declining per capita consumption; and significant capital needs. He praised financial officer James Smith’s work to obtain loans from the State Revolving Fund and bonds from the Rural Utility Service because both carry lower interest costs than traditional bonds.

“With the bond market, you’re totally relying on the mood of the market,” he said. “Long-term (30-year) bonds come with higher rates, if you can even find buyers (willing to tie up their money for so long).”

HPUD’s capital plan projects $25.2 million over five years for water upgrades and $42 million for the wastewater system.