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After pointed discussion and an examination of the Ely school district’s projected budget, Ely school board members on Tuesday unanimously certified the full excess tax levy approved by voters in November.

Board members had put off the decision at their previous meeting to allow more time to study whether the full amount was needed.

With passage, the school district will add about another $560,000 annually to its budget, bringing the total fiscal year 2007 levy to $1.24 million, a big jump from the $542,000 in 2006.

The decision wasn’t without its difficulties.

Board Chairman Ray Marsnik was concerned that certifying the whole levy bumps Ely from 190th out of more than 300 Minnesota schools to 15th on the list of highest levies.

“In comparison to other schools,” he said, “I think that is awfully high.”

Board member Scott Kellerman called for a close reading of the worksheet detailing revenues, levies, enrollment and expenses projected over the next several years.

The board moved through the budget worksheet, and Kellerman pointed out that the $100,000 in proposed annual budget cuts wouldn’t keep the school out of statutory operating debt. The worksheet forecasts SOD in 2010, with a projected deficit of just under $500,000.

“I don’t think that $100,000 (in annual cuts) will hold up,” Kellerman said.

Superintendent Tom Bruels, who had advocated passing the full levy amount and reviewing it later, said the worksheet “underscores the need for the full levy.”

Board member Peggy York-Jesme added that the referendum never was meant to be a total budget fix.

“We should levy the full amount,” she said. “Even that won’t fix the whole problem.”

In other matters, the board:

‰ Will meet to decide whether to hire Don Andersen and the ADM Group to lead the search process for a new schools superintendent. The board will meet on Dec. 27, after the Timberjay has gone to press with its new year edition.

Andersen presented a list of options to the board Tuesday, with fees ranging from $2,500 to $9,000, plus expenses, and depending on which option the board might choose.

Andersen and the ADM Group also are available to study how best to configure the new administration. Bruels has acknowledged that the current setup — with Bruels as superintendent and elementary school principal and Joselyn Murphy as high school principal — made it difficult for him to be as effective as he wanted to as both a principal and a superintendent.

Among the options presented by Andersen are:

‰ A full-time superintendent with teaching principals or principals with other duties.

‰ A combination superintendent/principal with a dean of students for backup. A full-time superintendent, K-12 principal and dean backup.

‰ Shared superintendent with another school district and two Ely principals.

Andersen said that many configurations can be effective, but that even effective ones aren’t always efficient.

“The key is to be both effective and efficient,” he said.

Contact Foss at (218) 365-3114 or ely@timberjay.com.

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