Posted: June 2, 2009

Student fees will remain at current levels after the School Board defeated a proposed increase that would have brought an additional $28,600 in revenue to the cash-strapped Elmbrook School District.

The proposed hike would have affected fees for high school parking and optional activities and clubs. Fees now account for about $1 million in district revenue.

Without the extra income, Elmbrook's cash reserve will absorb the difference. Bob Borch, assistant superintendent of finance and operations, said the latest version of the district's 2009-10 budget shows $315,113 being added to cash reserves, lower than the School Board's standing goal of $500,000.

Inequality cited as reason

Board members Gary Jones, Tom Gehl and Meg Wartman opposed the increase.

Wartman said she takes issue with the inequality among fees charged by individual schools.

"Until we get a handle on all the fees we're charging parents, I can't go forward with increasing fees at this time," Wartman said.

Currently, each district school charges its students fees in addition to those required districtwide. Costs vary and are sometimes disparate for similar items, like calculators and workbooks.

Borch said administrators are working on standardizing school fees for the 2009-10 school year.

Gehl and other board members also echoed previously expressed concerns about burdening district families with additional expenses in a rough economic climate.

"Even here in Brookfield and Elm Grove, even in this district, there are families that are hurting out there, financially, a lot more so than I think we realize," Gehl said.

Revenue needed

Board members Bob Ziegler, Glen Allgaier and Jean Lambert supported the increase.

Ziegler said he supported the increase because it was initially recommended by a study team made up of district staff and parents. Elmbrook needs revenue, he said, and it has to come from somewhere.

Jean Lambert, who previously opposed fee increases, said she approved of the recommendation because it applied only to optional activities.

Allgaier said he was conflicted and wished he had more time and data to make a decision.

District policy says the board must set fees for the following year by May 31.

Member was missing

With a 3-3 deadlock at the May 26 meeting, the measure failed.

Board Member David Marcello, who previously had spoken in support of fee increases, was absent for the vote. He arrived later during the meeting.

When reached May 27, Marcello refused to say whether he would have voted for the fee increase but echoed his past support of fees in general.

"My operating philosophy would be that the people who have kids in school should bare a bigger part of the cost," he said.

Marcello said he supports the action taken by the board.