Superintendent details budget pressures, $1.7M IT need and wide-ranging facilities repairs

Superintendent Dr. Tomko told the Garfield Board of Education on Feb. 24 that the district faces multiple immediate budget and facilities pressures, including an estimated $1.7 million technology infrastructure upgrade, work on aging boilers and a possible $500,000 shortfall in preschool funding.

Why it matters: the budget for the coming year will be prepared on an accelerated timetable because of the April school election cycle, Dr. Tomko said, and those funding uncertainties — including a possible federal funding reduction and rising health-care and energy costs — could affect staffing and programs.

Dr. Tomko said the district audited key systems soon after he arrived and identified gaps. The technology “pipe” (internet speed) was increased in a prior year, he said, but many switches and supporting hardware are “end of life” and must be replaced; an audit estimate of about $1,700,000 was cited. Facilities issues include multiple boilers that required emergency replacement work; the facilities director confirmed three new boilers were installed with county superintendent approval, at roughly $399,000 for the immediate work cited in the meeting record.

The superintendent said the district has identified roughly 600 class sections that are not in compliance with applicable code parameters for some schools, a finding that would initially require hiring about 10 additional faculty members to bring staffing into compliance. He also listed staffing shortages in guidance counseling and certain technical programs (he cited a welding instructor shortage), and said the district has added prorated stipends and other interim moves while preparing long-term fixes.

Dr. Tomko warned that federal grants could be cut as much as 25 percent and said the state indicated the district might not be cut by more than 3 percent; he said even a 3 percent state reduction would be “catastrophic.” He also reported 622 students had completed re-registration so far — roughly 20 percent of the expected total — and urged families to submit forms so the district can confirm residency and secure per-pupil funding.

On health and student supports, the superintendent said a telehealth vendor, Insight, is working with the district and that school-based wellness and telehealth services will be expanded. He also described a chronic-absenteeism corrective-action effort in every building and said the district is revamping attendance operations and is exploring an attendance officer role.

Dr. Tomko raised a separate operational challenge for the new School 5: the building is planned for about 850 students and roughly 50 staff but has only nine on-site parking spaces, he said, producing municipal and operational concerns about Outwater Lane traffic and teacher parking. He said potential options discussed administratively included shuttle plans, but he warned shuttling dozens of staff would be costly and logistically difficult.

During public comment, residents raised related budget concerns. Tana Raymond cited district legal and OPRA (Open Public Records Act) fees listed in a bill report and urged the administration and board “to lead by example” on pay and benefits. Danielle Marcello asked the board to examine mileage and reimbursement rates against IRS guidance. A member of the public also asked about costs to appeal changes to the election date and questioned several high new-hire salaries. The superintendent responded publicly that contracts and salary guides were negotiated previously and that many procurement and SDA-funded capital projects are subject to state procurement rules.

What’s next: Dr. Tomko said he and the business administrator must present preliminary budget materials in early March and that more detailed audit results and staffing recommendations will follow in coming weeks. He told the board the professional-development plan and other documents will be posted after the meeting.

Sources: Superintendent report and facilities update during the Feb. 24 Garfield Board of Education meeting; public comments by residents recorded during the same meeting.