Screen Photo Board member Mike Gessner, left, and Superintendent Mark Vollmer, center, listen as board member Jim Rostad speaks about meetings to be held at Bell and McKinley Elementaries to give families and stakeholders a chance to have questions and concerns addressed regarding possible closures of both schools.

At a special board meeting held Monday, Minot Public Schools Superintendent Mark Vollmer recommended the board take swift action to address the district’s budget deficit, saying, “our situation is not dire. Yet.”

Vollmer said the board should move quickly to set special board meetings at each school should they elect to consider the potential closure of Bell and McKinley elementary schools.

The purpose of the meetings would be to discuss impacts, potential options, and allow patrons and stakeholders to provide testimony. The board voted and passed motions to schedule the meetings, and for the district to provide as much information about the implementation of the possible closures.

“If you want to explore any changes to the current operating structure with Bell and McKinley, then you need to have a meeting with Bell and McKinley parents. If you have no desire to pursue that at this time, then we need to find other ways to close the delta.” Vollmer said, “If you want to continue this discussion, then we need to set up those meetings. You need to hear what the families are thinking.”

Board President Mike Gessner took a moment to ensure other board members understood the situation before they voted on setting the course to hold the meetings, which was passed 3-2 with Jason Kraft and Sabrina Herrman voting no. No dates for the school meetings were set before the meeting was adjourned.

Vollmer also recommended the board give careful consideration of running a referendum to support a building fund to “ease impact on general operating budget.” The new mills would be used to support building upkeep and maintenance. Such a vote would require 60% support from voters.

Vollmer began the meeting identifying types of efficiencies the board could pursue to address the financial reality facing the district. Though the board was aware of a $2.3 million budget deficit for the 2023/2024 school year, the situation was exacerbated by an enrollment decline of about 100 students, resulting in a dip in projected revenue from federal education dollars of $1,252,759.51. With another $2.9 million in anticipated realignment costs, the projected deficit for 2024/2025 is expected to be $6.6 million, or 5.32% of the budget.

Vollmer once again described such deficit levels as unmanageable. Though the district’s cash reserves are more than $21 million, Vollmer cautioned that deficit spending would deplete the reserves within a few years.

Vollmer then dug into the enrollment numbers to explain where students have gone in the last year. A total of 772 students have left Minot Public Schools since the beginning of the 2023/2024 school year, though Vollmer noted that more than 600 new students had enrolled in the same year. About 249 students K-12 transferred to other schools within North Dakota, and 337 were out of state transfers mostly represented by students in military families.

Vollmer reviewed proposed efficiency born out of meetings with school administrators and staff. Possible solutions included a tightening of staffing in secondary classes that would require the cutting of classes with low enrollment, and applying close scrutiny on district-level positions created with lapsed federal funding. It was also proposed to reduce work with outside consultants and contractors that are not covered by federal grants, and decrease professional development travel budgets. Phase one would also include limiting online subscriptions to a needs only basis, and halting long distance out-of-town travel for middle school athletics.

District staff meetings found immediate impacts to the budget could be found by limiting supply orders, adopting a curriculum schedule to spread the costs of updating over a period of time. Another item proposed was a “parent pay” preschool program. Currently, the district offers pre-school services for special needs students and this option would provide programming supported by parent fees.

A realignment of support staff could see several positions combined but add benefits to promote retention. Phase II also included discussion of moving the district office to Central Campus, closing the annex for use as storage space and the sale of land owned by the district by Erik Ramstad.

Vollmer also offered a proposal from staff to consider open enrollment for out-of-district- students, as current policies only make exceptions for military-connected families. Vollmer said the tuition waiver system could be used to allow certain students to attend school in the district, but that it would need to be renewed annually.

The next board meeting is scheduled for Feb. 15.