Berne-Knox-Westerlo to cut six staff positions after budget defeated

The Berne-Knox-Westerlo school district will be forced to cut staff, including two teachers and the school resource officer, after voters defeated its budget for a second time at the polls on Tuesday.

A total of 789 people voted in favor of the budget compared with 573 who were opposed, according to Superintendent of Schools Timothy Mundell.

However, because the district was attempting to exceed the tax cap, it needed approval by a supermajority of 60% plus one vote. It only got 57.9%.

The school board made no changes to the $26.35 million budget that failed at the polls last month. That proposal had a tax levy increase of 5.09%, which exceeds the district’s tax cap of 4.35%. A slightly higher percentage of residents voted “yes” last time, with almost 59% approving.

Districts with two failed budget voters by law are required to adopt what is called a contingency budget with no increase in the tax levy. The new budget will be $25.8 million with a $11.069 million tax levy.

In addition to the teachers, there will be the elimination of three aides and one administrative assistant, according to the budget presentation.

The budget also eliminates after school programs, late bus runs, field trips, limits overtime, cut supplies and reduces information technology assistance. Wages are also frozen for non-union employees.

Voters approved budgets in two other school districts. Salem passed with a vote of 299-120. Northville’s budget passed 443-163.

Both districts had trimmed their initial budgets, so they did not exceed the tax cap and only required a simple majority to pass.