RATHDRUM, Idaho — On Wednesday, January 15 at 5:30 p.m., the Lakeland Joint School District (LJSD) Board of Trustees will hold a special meeting to discuss the district’s financial situation. The meeting will be held in the Commons at Timberlake High School. According to Chair Michelle Thompson, a supplemental levy is highly probable, however, the amount will be lower than the previous levy.
The district’s last attempt at a two-year $19 million supplemental levy failed by less than 300 votes out of 20,867 total ballots in the 2024 November General Election. According to information released by Lakeland officials, $3 million from the failed levy was reserved for athletics and extracurriculars, while the rest would have gone toward staff salaries and benefits, transportation, and curriculum.
The board will consider a proposed two-year $15 million supplemental levy presented by Superintendent Lisa Arnold. If any version of the proposed levy is approved by the board, it will appear on the 2025 May ballot for all registered voters residing in LJSD. Supplemental school levies must receive a simple majority to pass.
The outcome of a May levy will play a role in whether or not the district will declare a financial emergency. Idaho code 33-522 governs how and when a school district may declare a financial emergency, which requires the State Department of Education to certify that the district meets the prescribed requirements.
At the regular business meeting on January 8, the board made it clear that a possible May levy and the upcoming collective bargaining negotiations with the teacher’s union has complicated financial discussions. It has been noted that the current pay for certified staff (teachers) is more than appropriate considering the amount of days worked. The contracted work hours for teachers are roughly 30% less than regular full-time jobs, making teachers’ rate of pay higher than typical full-time jobs.
During the January 8 business meeting, the trustees re-elected Thompson as chair and elected Trustee Ramona Grissom as vice-chair. They also addressed several recent expenditures, including the purchase of a new courier van and teacher cell phones.
Chief Finance Officer Jessica Grantham explained that the $46,000 cost of the Honda Odyssey was below the $50,000 limit allowed for purchases without direct approval by the board. The money came from the plant facility levy funds reserved for building maintenance and fleet vehicles. Tim Haag, the new Director of Facilities and Maintenance told the board that the old van was in need of repairs totaling $8,000 and believes the new van is a better use of funds in the long run.
Trustee David Quimby questioned why the district has been paying for teacher’s cell phones, especially in light of the fact that it already pays $7,300 per month on telephone systems throughout the district. “One cell phone bill was $20,000,” he stated. According to Quimby, this is the kind of expenditure the board is seeking to identify and remove to establish fiscal responsibility. “It’s a matter of trust.”
Arnold has included $2 million per year in budget cuts in the proposal levy, including elimination of all cell phones plans and stipends, 13 classified full-time positions, 1 assistant principal position, 2 full-time clerical positions, and 3 full-time administrative assistants. The proposed cuts will also end the district’s subscription to The Coeur d’Alene Press.
While reviewing the district’s recent expense reports, Kootenai Journal noticed several items of interest and has placed public records requests to obtain a list of all subscription services and a list of all membership and association dues paid by the district. We will report the information as soon as it is provided.
