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Board weighs property sales, program changes and utility/technology cuts to narrow budget gap
Summary
Facing a budget gap, Brainerd Public School District administrators presented a package of options including exploring sale of district properties, modifying activities and athletics, reducing device access for K', and lowering building temperatures to cut utilities; most items will return as formal agenda items.
District administrators reviewed a set of budget options they say could help close next years deficit and asked the board for direction on which items to carry forward to the regular meeting.
Administration reported preliminary outreach about selling the school farm and the districts "Red House." An administrator said the farm was purchased previously for about $160,000 and that preliminary estimates suggest a substantially higher valuation; no sale price was finalized and administrators cautioned that property-sale work is only exploratory.
On program cuts, administrators said an originally proposed $420,000 reduction in middle-school activities is likely overstated after meetings with principals and activities staff. "It may not be what was originally proposed," an administrator said, adding the district will return with revised figures.
Facilities and operations proposals include a plan to lower building thermostat setpoints beginning Dec. 1 to save utilities. Facilities staff estimated roughly $20,000 per degree of setpoint change district-wide and an approximate annual savings of $100,000 if implemented across buildings; the administration will notify families and staff before making the change.
The administration also presented technology options, including repurposing device carts and reducing kindergarten-through-second-grade device allocation. Administration estimated about $76,000 in potential savings from several technology staffing and device changes but said additional analysis about help-desk staffing and curriculum dependencies is required.
No formal votes were taken during the work session; administrators were directed to develop formal proposals and, where necessary, place items on the regular agenda for board action.
