BRAINERD SCHOOL BOARD VOTES ON BUDGET CUTS

At Monday night's meeting, the Brainerd School Board authorized Superintendent Jerry Walseth to adjust next year's budget by $5.5-Million. The board also authorized taking the next steps toward closing Lincoln and Whittier Elementary Schools for traditional students but Lincoln will be re-used for the Minnesota Learning Center, now housed at the old state hospital east of Brainerd. The board will hold a public hearing at Whittier School to talk about its closing on December 19th at 7pm. The board also voted not to renew the contracts for 57 teachers on probationary status. Business Services Director Steve Dickinson told the Brainerd Dispatch that some of those teachers may be re-hired depending upon what programs are cut. Financial diagrams show that the district overspent its unreserved fund balance over the last five years. Without budget cuts, the district would be in deficit spending, something not allowed for governmental bodies unless they're federal.