At board meeting, Bob Sari explained the potential ramifications of Measures 66 and 67

By Lauren Brown
Burns Times-Herald

At the Jan. 12 board meeting, Harney County District No. 3 School District Superintendent Bob Sari provided the board with information on how Measures 66 and 67 would affect the school district.

The ballots for the Jan. 26 special election have already been mailed out and Oregonians will decide whether to pass Measures 66 and 67, which would institute a $733 million tax hike enacted by the Oregon State Legislature in 2009. The measures would increase the corporate minimum tax from $10 to $150 and raise taxes on households that make more than $250,000 per year or individuals who make more than $125,000 per year.

Proponents of the measures say the money will go to fund education, health care, public safety and other services. Superintendent Sari noted that if the measures fail, the Burns-Hines school district could face a $500,000 budget shortfall.

Opponents argue that the tax hike would hurt small businesses.

Sari told the school board that the majority of Oregonians, 98 percent, will not be affected by the potential tax raise. However, if the measures fail he said he is working on grants and other ways to combat the considerable budget shortfall that would likely result.

In other business:

• Superintendent Sari noted that the district is looking to prevent the spread of infection that could result from another wave of H1N1 influenza. He said that he hoped parents would keep sick children home to prevent the spread of the virus;

• Business manager Petrina White said that at this point the district’s ending fund balance for the year looks like it will be $290,000. Of course, that is subject to change;

• Slater principal Gayle Mackey said that she found a good deal on playground equipment with a company that has a surplus of material. The company agreed to match Slater’s amount, so they can buy more equipment. Mackey said that local businesses have agreed to help install the equipment sometime next summer.

Mackey said that there was about 94 percent attendance for Slater parent-teacher conferences.

She also thanked Shana Withee for her work on their holiday shop, where kids can buy inexpensive presents for their family members;

• Hines Middle School principal Gail Buermann talked about a Tooth Taxi program that they are looking at offering for low income students in need of dental care.

She also commended her staff for being willing to critique themselves and improve.

• Student services director Geoff Robinson said he is working with a team on strategic planning for what to do with Title 2A grant funds totaling about $60,000.

He also talked about a new approach to staff development. This year, the district will have staff development days for three days after school is let out in June. Staff will participate in writing workshops and sessions on Singapore math;

• the board organized tours of the facilities with bond project manager Bill Renwick. One tour took place on Jan. 15 and the other is scheduled for Jan. 29;

• the board accepted the resignations of Dan Cashen who was a custodian at Burns High School (BHS); Jill Zaharko from her position as head track coach at BHS; and Julia Olsen from her position as assistant track coach at BHS;

• the board adopted policies regarding criminal record checks, graduation requirements, hazing and harassment and reporting requirements regarding sexual conduct with students. The board also conducted second readings on a number of policies relating to educational philosophy, district goals, board meetings and board member conduct, resignation of staff, human sexuality, graduation exercises and student policy objectives.

The next Harney County District No. 3 Board meeting  will be at 7 p.m. Feb. 9 at the district office.