The School Board decided the Van Buren Public Schools needs a more sophisticated business office, so on Monday it voted 5-1 to hire Plante & Moran to provide the service.
Trustee Sherry Frazier voted no, saying the board shouldn’t be spending money when it’s in deficit.
Plante Moran bid $11,600 per month for school district business office services and an additional $4,950 per month for bookkeeper services.
Mike Dixon, business office consultant, said the $198,600 annual cost would be about $40,000 more than what is paid for those services now, in the short term, but the move is sure to bring more efficiency and money to the district in the long term.
The change will eliminate two positions in the business office, with one employee going to a different position and the other possibly working on state and federal grants, Dixon said.
When asked by Trustee Scott Russell if the district had lost money due to a bookkeeping error, Dixon said a quarter of a million dollars was lost in one decision on a title program.
Eli Grier, a Uniserve Director from the Michigan Education Association, objected to the outsourcing of the jobs, adding that the secretarial union understood that if it met its targets earlier this year the district would not erode its positions.
He accused the board of thumbing its nose at the contract, noting the bookkeeper has 10 years of service and now is “expendable”.
“You’re playing with people’s livelihood,” Grier said.
Board members had noted that the move will help bring $100 more in state aid per student for “Best Practices,” and that would amount to $500,000.
But the union leader said the board only has to go out for bids and doesn’t have to accept it to meet Best Practices.
“We are all very much aware of the humans involved,” said Board President Martha Toth. “We are in need of a much greater depth of knowledge… We need accurate data – that we haven’t had.”
In other business at Monday’s meeting, the board:
• Heard an hour-long State of the High School address by Principal Michael VanTassel and consultant Bonnie Riutta, who praised the 37 teachers who went to various trainings over the summer without any pay. “I’m very proud of them. It never happened before,” Van Tassel said. He also praised the respectful attitude of the students. He noted the low scores on tests, but told the board, “Don’t give up the ship. I think we can do this. We’re working on it,” referring to improving learning;
• Approved the concept of a thrift store as part of the district’s Community Resource Center services at the portable units at 416 Sumpter Road, with the district providing free space, utilities, and maintenance. The board also approved going out for 501(c)(3) designation for the store. A parent, who runs such projects for Goodwill Industries, cautioned the board about the laws concerning resale of items. Cathy Bandy said she will prepare a business plan with the help of an attorney to fine-tune the proposal. She said Charity Fielder has volunteered to run the store three days a week. The board also agreed to allow the acceptance of donations and the distribution to those in need, as long as no money is involved. Trustee Scott Russell was concerned the store might interfere with local private resale shops;
• Approved a revised transportation plan that will have all Tyler Elementary students start and end school at the same time, as of Oct. 3, instead of the two start times that had caused such confusion. Transportation Director Rhonda Lyons-Manning said it was her idea that impacted the parents, students, and staff and, “They’ve had to put up with the cluster I’ve created for them.” She asked the board to approve the new plan to clear up what “we have done”;
• Agreed that none of the board members will be going to the Michigan Association of School Boards Delegate Assembly Oct. 27 because it is being held at the Grand Traverse Resort & Spa, which doesn’t sound good to the board members or the public in these hard times;
• Heard a report on the emergency repairs that are being done to the existing high school, even though it is going to be torn down next summer. Repairs include $3,000 for a compressor, a failed swimming pool heater and enough patches on the roof to pay for a new roof. School Supt. Tom Riutta said the idea would be not to spend any money on the school, but that can’t be done because of health and safety concerns. “It’s an old building. It’s served you well. It’s tired,” Riutta said, suggesting, tongue in cheek, that staff try duct tape, chewing gum and Band Aids to keep it operating for the next six to eight months;
• Heard parent Louis Barnes tell of his problems with the school district which he feels is failing his son who has ADHA and is being “suspended, suspended, suspended” and doesn’t have a chance to learn anything. “I feel victimized” which he said makes him want to put a lawsuit together against the school district. He asked other parents with problems to contact him; and
• Heard Board Vice President Binert announce that the new BHS is the first school in the State of Michigan to be honored as being Designed to Earn the Energy Star for material and equipment, as designated by the US EPA.