Monday meeting to have budget ramifications

Still in his first year as superintendent, Dr. Michael Thorsland next week will deliver his future budget outlook to the Oconee School Board of Trustees. Budget matters dot the agenda for the board’s 6 o’clock meeting Monday night at district headquarters in Walhalla. In advance of Monday’s meeting, trustees are being told the following by Thorsland: “In order to meet our goal of balancing the budget for the 2016-17 school year, we have been meeting with our Principal Leadership team and our Principals to determine how to cut$3.5 million over the next two years. Principals have worked by both areas and levels to draft proposals for reaching our goal. Because of the uncertainty with insurance and other cost increases, we are working to trim approximately $2.3 million for the 2015-16 school year and $1.2 million in the 2016-17 year. Since we will be using attrition and no one will lose their job, it may take a couple of years to realize the full cost savings in several of these areas.”