Report (pdf) - School Management Services

In recent years, residents of both the School District of Bruce and
Ladysmith-Hawkins School District have denied their organizations
authority to exceed the revenue cap. In June, 2008, residents of
Weyerhaeuser Area School District authorized the organization to exceed
the revenue cap by the amount of $1,800,000 over a three year period of
time.
Conditions of the School District of Bruce’s, Ladysmith-Hawkins School
District’s, and Weyerhaeuser Area School District’s teacher master
agreements, employee retirement system obligations, and other postemployment
benefits (OPEB) obligations do not present barriers—as
assessed by the Project Consultants—for consideration of future
consolidation by the three school districts.
The Project Consultants concluded that the School District of Bruce is
displaying both enrollment and financial trends which would suggest a
significant deterioration of the organization in the future and meritorious
reasons for consideration of a future consolidation. Ladysmith-Hawkins
School District—assisted by its larger critical student mass and relatively
(current) enrollment stability—may see less immediate need to consider
consolidation, but the fact is the organization’s high mill rate, high bonded
indebtedness, excess facilities, and languishing finances would serve as
ample motivation for the organization to consider future consolidation.
The Project Consultants concluded that Weyerhaeuser Area School District
is in a precarious financial position which, over time, can/will worsen. Thus,
the Project Consultants concluded that the leadership of Weyerhaeuser
Area School District is pursuing a prudent course of action in seeking one
© Roger Worner Associates, Inc.
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