By Joan Koehne, Wolf River MediaAt its meeting Sept. 8, the Suring School Board cited too much red tape and too little funding when it rejected the federal government’s recent gift to the district.
The district was awarded $183 in Federal Education Job Act Fund money to rehire staff, but board members voted to reject the gift and send a letter expressing their disappointment in how the money was distributed.
The state allocated funds based on the school aid formula, which takes into account land values, but doesn’t favor land-rich districts like Suring. Because of the high value of its resort properties, Suring Schools receive more of their operating revenues from taxpayers than through state aid.
This is the opposite of the neighboring school district in Gillett, which relies heavily on state aids. The Gillett School District approved two full-time and one part-time staff position with the $127,540 it was allotted from the Federal Education Job Act Fund.
Board members complained that while neighboring districts received six-digit awards, they received less than $200 — an amount that wouldn’t even cover the staff time to file the nine reports required by the government, if the gift were accepted.
Gillett down the road relies on so much state aid to stay afloat? Why? Some day I see consolidation between Suring and Gillett.
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