Westside Messenger - October 21st, 2018

PAGE 6 - WESTSIDE MESSENGER - October 21, 2018
JEFFREY P. COMPTON
ATTORNEY AT LAW
General Practice
Personal Injury • Domestic
Probate • Wills
Power of Attorney
Healthcare Documents
FREE CONSULT & PARKING
614-875-7233 Fax: 614-875-7207
3894 Broadway, Grove City
www.jeffreypcompton.com
Email: jcompton@jeffreypcompton.com
By Dedra Cordle
Staff Writer
Full Service + Detail
Supreme Wash
$2.00 OFF
In Education
The five-year financial forecast for the
South-Western City Schools District was
presented Oct. 8 at the board of education
meeting. In a summarization, Treasurer
Hugh Garside said the overall forecast is
sound but an eye will need to be kept on
what may happen in 2021.
“Our expenditures may slightly outpace
our revenue but these are very conservative
projections and things may change,” he
said.
In regard to the district’s revenue,
Garside said there will be modest increases
due to reappraisals and state funding.
“Ninety-eight percent of our funding
comes from property taxes and state funding,”
he said.
He added that the state will draft a new
biennial budget this year and he projects
Under New Ownership
3820 Sullivant Ave. - (614) 274-1476
Super Saver
$1.00 OFF
Hours: Mon - Sat: 8am - 6pm, Sunday: 9am - 5pm
October Giveaway
Place a prepaid classified line ad in our paper
for the month of October and be registered to win a
$50 Gift Card from
The Columbus Messenger Newspapers.
All ads received by mail, in person,
email or phone will be included in the drawing.
Drawing will be held October 31st, 2018
and the winner will be notified and
published in our November 4th, 2018 issue.
GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE!!!!
slight financial increases.
According to Garside, one hindrance of
the state’s allocation of funds to the district
is that South-Western has been deemed a
capped district.
“We’ve been a capped district for quite a
while,” he said. “We’re going on six years
now.”
He said that due to the district’s classification
as a capped district, they do not
receive as much funding from the state as
the state foundation aid formula says they
should. Because of this, said Garside, the
district has missed out on at least $73 million
additional funds throughout that duration
for their revenue source.
“I think this is something we need to
think about when talking to our legislators,”
he said.
He admitted he does not believe the
capped classification will change soon, but
said something needs to be done because
the district has projected growth in enrollment
in the upcoming years.
An additional source of revenue for the
district is the Hollywood Casino, which
opened in 2012. The district receives
roughly $3 million annually in taxes from
the casino.
Another positive in revenue and expenditure,
said Garside, is the phasing out of
the Win-Win agreement between the district
and Columbus City Schools. Under
the Win-Win, which was amended in 2016,
the district was required to pay Columbus
City Schools roughly $1.2 million annually
but that is being phased down by 20 percent
each year. By the end of 2021, the district
will no longer have to pay per the
amended agreement.
In regards to expenditures, Garside said
they are projected to rise.
“Eighty percent of the district’s expenditures
are for personnel services,” he said.
www.columbusmessenger.com
District reviews financial forecast
Providing students with healthier choices
at lunch and encouragement to be physically
active all day long have earned
Columbus City Schools national recognition
from the U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA) and $108,000 in federal
funds to provide even more options in
the future.
All 110 schools in the district were recognized
for Excellence in Nutrition and
Physical Activity by the USDA’s Food and
Nutrition Services. By meeting federal
health and wellness criteria, 104 schools
earned the HealthierUS School Challenge:
Smarter Lunchroom Silver distinction; the
remaining schools earned the Bronze distinction.
“We have long emphasized the message
that healthy bodies fuel active minds,” said
Interim Superintendent Dr. John
Stanford.
In addition to the federal recognition,
He said though that amount may seem
high, they are on par or even a little below
districts of similar size.
“Some district’s personnel expenditures
are as high as 90 percent and that is where
they tend to get in trouble.”
He added that the personnel amount
also reflects collective bargaining agreements
negotiated between the board and
classified staff, administrative staff and
certified staff, respectively.
According to Garside, there have been
some changes to the drug program which
will save the district some money through
the use of mandatory generics.
Among the other expenditures are purchased
services, which are forecasted to
increase roughly 2 percent to 2.5 percent,
and supplies and materials, which was
forecasted to increase roughly 4.5 percent
over the five-year forecast.
Respectively, the forecast predicts revenue
of $273 million, $276 million and
$279 million and an expenditure of $256
million, $270 million and $284.5 million in
fiscal years 2019, 2020 and 2021.
Though Garside said the forecast has
predicted the rise in expenditure versus
the stream of revenue in 2021 there is no
cause for alarm.
“As I said before, those are conservative
estimates that may change when the May
forecast comes out,” he said. “Overall, the
district is in a great spot with our
finances.”
He said one indicator of the health of a
district financially is in its cash balance. In
the forecast, the cash balance is projected
at $194 million, $198 million and $191.7
million in fiscal years 2019, 2020, and
2021.
“We’re in a nice spot,” Garside said.
“We’re not in panic mode.”
CCS students getting healthy
each school earning a Silver distinction
receives a $1,000 award, while Bronze
awardees each receive a $500 award.
In all, Columbus schools will receive
$108,000 to reinvest in healthy options for
students and further promote health and
wellness efforts.
These federal distinctions are part of
the USDA’s Team Nutrition initiative
which works to create healthier school
environments through promotion of nutrition
and physical activity.
Columbus City Schools has been repeatedly
recognized as having one of the best
breakfast programs in Ohio, and for taking
the step to provide breakfast and lunch to
all students at no cost. The district has also
been recognized for its “Ohio Days: My
State, My Plate” initiative, serving a nutritious
lunch each month of Ohio-sourced
foods.