As part of the cost breakdown, Hollister noted that Columbia taxpayers would have paid $185,000 for a superintendent this year rather than the current $165,000 under the agreement. He also said that although the district is still partially funding a business manager, it would ordinarily have spent about $115,000 instead of the $70,000 for business services under the contract with Elanco. Hollister estimated a total of about $90,000 in salary savings for all services.
He said Elanco provided additional pieces of technology to Columbia at no cost and noted that salary savings for tech team services was $31,685. He said that technology is where large amounts of money add up.
Hollister listed additional savings with other fees that were waived: $2,000 for an E-Rate consultant and $3,400 for Agenda Manager (for board meeting agendas). He said the real savings were with E-Rate funds reaching back to the 2015-16 school year to the tune of $88,734.59, adding that it was money Columbia should have been trying to get but never did previously. [According to Wikipedia, "E-Rate is the commonly used name for the Schools and Libraries Program of the Universal Service Fund, which is administered by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) under the direction of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The program provides discounts to assist schools and libraries in the United States to obtain affordable telecommunications and Internet access."]
Hollister said the district will not be getting state dollars originally expected for the shared services agreement. [A $250,000 grant was to be made available for the two districts to pilot the agreement.] “I was told very specifically that money is not coming, so we're on our own,” he said.
Despite challenges and distractions during the first half of the school year - replacing the high school principal, dealing with a student situation that concerned the board and required a lot of time, and attempting to resolve a personnel situation in the business office - progress has been made on many different fronts, according to Hollister. He hopes to get direct feedback on the agreement from teachers and administrators towards the end of the year.
Hollister listed additional savings with other fees that were waived: $2,000 for an E-Rate consultant and $3,400 for Agenda Manager (for board meeting agendas). He said the real savings were with E-Rate funds reaching back to the 2015-16 school year to the tune of $88,734.59, adding that it was money Columbia should have been trying to get but never did previously. [According to Wikipedia, "E-Rate is the commonly used name for the Schools and Libraries Program of the Universal Service Fund, which is administered by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) under the direction of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The program provides discounts to assist schools and libraries in the United States to obtain affordable telecommunications and Internet access."]
Hollister said the district will not be getting state dollars originally expected for the shared services agreement. [A $250,000 grant was to be made available for the two districts to pilot the agreement.] “I was told very specifically that money is not coming, so we're on our own,” he said.
Despite challenges and distractions during the first half of the school year - replacing the high school principal, dealing with a student situation that concerned the board and required a lot of time, and attempting to resolve a personnel situation in the business office - progress has been made on many different fronts, according to Hollister. He hopes to get direct feedback on the agreement from teachers and administrators towards the end of the year.
Hollister also said both districts soon need to begin having a conversation on whether the agreement should continue for next year or be dissolved, but said the agreement has been positive for Columbia. “I think we have been successful given some of the challenges so far,” he noted.
Several board directors expressed their gratitude to Elanco for the agreement, but Director Janet Schwert cautioned, “We also need to take into consideration the help or the lack of help that we are going to be getting from the state. We have already been forewarned that the budget process is not going to go well with the state.” Schwert alluded to property tax reform that would help property owners but hurt the school district, making it difficult for the school to budget. “Keep in mind that we are doing this for our kids,” she said.
Several board directors expressed their gratitude to Elanco for the agreement, but Director Janet Schwert cautioned, “We also need to take into consideration the help or the lack of help that we are going to be getting from the state. We have already been forewarned that the budget process is not going to go well with the state.” Schwert alluded to property tax reform that would help property owners but hurt the school district, making it difficult for the school to budget. “Keep in mind that we are doing this for our kids,” she said.
