Marysville schools consider cuts

MARYSVILLE – It’s a long list – 25 ideas, in all – to cut more than $900,000 from the Marysville School District’s budget.

And the Marysville School Board will start examining the options next week.

More than $3 million in expense-saving proposals have been ranked and sorted into lists ranging from likely to remotely possible.

Likely to go by next fall are five vacant teaching positions, two custodial positions and a vacant job in the Human Resources Department.

The lists of less probable cuts include three vice principal jobs at the district’s middle schools and the closing of the Marysville-Pilchuck High School pool, which is heavily used by the community.

“We have tried to keep the cuts away from the kids,” said Larry Nyland, the district’s superintendent.

Marysville, like several other districts in Snohomish County, is looking for ways to slash expenses even as its revenues rise with state-provided cost-of-living and locally-negotiated pay hikes.

But costs are up, too. Rising fuel and utility bills and a need to set aside money to open new elementary and high schools are also factors in the need for cuts.

Grove Elementary School is expected to open in 2008 and Marysville Getchell High School by 2010 or 2011.

The district is expected to have a $100 million operating budget next year.

By August, it needs to trim $910,000 from its basic education budget and could also look for cuts from other accounts, such as special education, transportation and food services.

The school board will hear a budget presentation at its 6:30 p.m. Monday meeting at district headquarters, 4220 80th St. NE.

It will discuss the proposals in greater depth at a June 11 workshop.

Attrition from resignations and retirements is expected to account for the five teaching slots on the chopping block.

“We don’t plan to lay off any teachers,” Nyland said.

Among other likely cuts, the district could also scale back nursing services by about $80,000, trim hours among teaching assistants and drug and alcohol intervention staff, reduce the high school Junior ROTC program and eliminate the school resource police officer program at the middle-school level.

Last year, the district cut $600,000 in programs provided by classified workers who help in schools and on buses.

The district is also looking at raising fees to soften the cuts.

It will consider “pay-to-play” sports participation fees as well as facility rental fees. Those would add about $80,000 to the revenue side.

Reporter Eric Stevick: 425-339-3446 or stevick@heraldnet.com.