Gibraltar School Board Approves Referendum Language

The Gibraltar School Board has approved the referendum language that will appear on November’s ballot. The school will ask voters to allow it to exceed the state-imposed revenue limit by $2,875,000 for both the 2011-12 school year and the 2012-13 school year.

The funds will pay for non-recurring educational services, not capital improvements. The over-ride amount has been held at the same level as the 2010-11 over-ride because the school was able to manage the budget to have some carry-over, said School Board President Sally Pfeifer.

The school has met its budget needs through over-rides since 2000.

Pfeifer and board member Fred Anderson recently met with representatives of the Washington Island and Sevastopol school boards to explore opportunities to work together to reduce costs. Pfeifer said this could include shared instruction, virtual education, job sharing, and multi-district business and administrative functions, among other possibilities. The presidents of all five Door County school boards will meet in late July to discuss opportunities for collaboration.

The board also ratified a contract with the Gibraltar Education Association that will take it through the 2012-13 school year. The school agreed to a 3.85 percent increase in total compensation for 2009-10 and 3.95 percent in each following year. The association agreed to a health insurance plan with a higher deductable, and the contract includes an 8 percent cap on annual health insurance increases. Any increase above 8 percent will have to be paid for by employees.

In other activity, the school accepted the resignation of former elementary principal Judy Munsey and approved the purchase of a 2007 Chevrolet Suburban at a cost of $30,238. The vehicle will be used to transport small student groups and was supplemented with federal funding.