Superintendent warns of tight state budget, updates enrollment and facilities

Superintendent Mr. Duff delivered a wide-ranging report on the state budget, enrollment, operations and facilities. He said the governor's budget and the legislative outlook leave little latitude for additional funding and warned that restrictions on how funds may be spent could limit local flexibility: "Legislatures made made clear there is no more funding dollars." He also discussed a bill under consideration to ban cell phones in schools and a potential state approach to address PERS costs.

Mr. Duff reported enrollment at 1,540 students (up slightly from 1,538 the previous month), highlighted athletic participation and a cheer-team academic recognition, and described a facilities issue in which a two-acre parcel at Ferndale intended for an FFA barn turned out to be owned by private parties rather than fully owned by the district. "The county said you can't build a barn because you don't own ground," he said; he added the district negotiated with the owners, accepted the assessor's price, and that the property is now going through escrow with construction expected to begin within 30 days. He also reminded the board of the Oregon ethics filing deadline of March 15 and asked for volunteers for upcoming negotiations.