Glendale-River Hills OKs preliminary budget, end of long term care insurance

The Glendale-River Hills school board approved the first consideration of its 2012-2013 budget Monday night, and by doing so signaled the end of the district's participation in long term care insurance.

The budget, as presented by District Administrator Larry Smalley, will run a surplus of approximately $333,000 as a result of $600,000 from the April 2011 referendum. Other savings in the budget come from changes to the district's health plan, the removal of long term care insurance, state and federal programs, and retirements.

Despite the fact that the district will spend less in the 2012-2013 school year than it did in 2011-2012, the tax levy is projected to increase by 2.1 percent to offset cuts in state funding.

"We are anticipating another reduction in state aid at about a 10 percent, possibly 15 percent rate," said Smalley, "which will be passed on to the taxpayers."

Retirees came to the meeting to as well and entreated the board to continue participating in long term care insurance, or to find a way to keep retirees on the current group rate. Smalley said that, although he and others have been working with long term care insurance provider WEA for the last 10 months, all attempts have failed up to this point.

"We were not at all successful in getting them to adjust the contract," said Smalley.