BAS Faces Renewed Deficit if Lindbom Doesn't SellBAS Faces Renewed Deficit if Lindbom Doesn't Sell

1/29/13 - The Brighton Board of Education was told Monday night that without the sale of the closed Lindbom School, the district could be facing a budget deficit of about $450,000 in the fiscal year beginning July 1st. Lindbom, an elementary school on the city's west side, was closed several years ago due to declining enrollment. While the district has been gradually chopping down a multi-million deficit inherited from past boards, members learned they could once again find itself in a pool of red ink. Officials said that if Lindbom School - currently on the market for $2.2 million - were sold for a $1.7 million profit, the district would remain in the black for the 2013-14 year. But without the sale, the district would be right back where it was several years ago with a deficit budget. Superintendent Greg Gray said the biggest reason was continuing enrollment declines, with the district losing up to 200 students per year. At about $7,000 per student, that equals a $1.4 million loss in revenue per year. In addition, the state has cut school aid by $470 per student in the last two years, which has cost the district $7 million. With an inherited deficit which has been trimmed down from $15 million to its present $7 million, the legacy deficit would have been eliminated without the state cuts in per-pupil aid. Other factors include higher retirement costs, phased-in elimination of pay-to-play fees and having to use the general fund to pay off the remainder of the energy bond debt because the expired sinking fund has been used up. Board President Miles Vieau warned that while the sale of Lindbom would help, it would be merely temporary and would only solve the problem for one year. Gray said that ultimately, balancing the budget will involve a combination of personnel cuts including teacher layoffs and finding new revenue sources. But with a projected K-through-12 student population loss of up to 5,000 within the decade, Gray also predicts the necessity of closing another elementary school "in 3 or 4 years." The board tabled a motion to adopt an amended budget for the current year and will likely take action on the matter at its next meeting on Feb. 11th. (JK)