9/6/13 - The latest deficit elimination plan submitted by the Pinckney School Board has been rejected by the state, but a new option has opened up as well. Last yearâs budget shortfall left the district with $2.4 million in debt, which means it get a deficit elimination plan approved by the state to outline how it will work to bring the books back into the black. The districtâs original $800,000 projected deficit for this year increased to $2.8 million after it became clear that enrollment was continuing to fall and no major assistance was forthcoming from the state. Several plans have been rejected by the state thus far. The latest offset the projected deficit with $1.6 million in theoretical funds from the sale of the vacant Pinckney and Hamburg Elementary School buildings. At the school boardâs regular meeting last night, Superintendent Rick Todd informed the board that the plan had been rejected and a new one would have to be submitted to the state by September 18th. However, he says there is also a new option available that could give the district some help. The rejection notice also contained an invitation to apply for a longer term in which to fix the deficit. In order to qualify the district will have to spell out what measures it has taken internally to address the deficit, such as staffing cuts and wage reductions. Pinckney will have to submit an updated deficit elimination plan by September 18th, and an application to extend the two-year time limit to five years will be included. Todd says this will help prevent the district from having to make damaging decisions to balance the budget. (TD)
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