The Paso Robles School Board of Trustees met Tuesday night at the district office on Niblick Road. Safe distancing spread the trustees along the dais. Administrators faced them at tables in front of the dais. The few people who attended the meeting sat in widely scattered chairs.
Two big issues faced the trustees, and both depend largely on decisions by state officials. The first is the budget. The second is restarting PRJUSD athletics and co-curricular programs.
Chief Financial Officer Brad Pawolowki presented the 2020-21 Financial Budget Report. It shows the 2019-20 fiscal year budget ending with a reserve of about $4.8 million or 6.8% of the operating budget. The projections for the next two years are disturbing. Fiscal year 2020-21 is projected to end with a budget reserve of $949, 339 or 1.96% of the operating budget. Fiscal year 2021-22 ends with a deficit of $-6,634,660. Fiscal year 2022-23 ends with a deficit of $-17,120,410.
Brad Pawlowski stated, “We are at the mercy of the State of California.” The Paso Robles School District, like many others in the state, is dependent on state funding, and the state is hoping for a federal bail out. The district has to wait to see what happens to the state budget. Pawlowski added, “We do have to look at budget reductions in the future.”
Trustee Tim Gearhart asked, “How and where do we make those cuts without destroying that which makes us special? What’s there to cut?”
Trustee Chris Arend said, “A budget is a plan. A plan is worthless. Planning is everything.”
The board voted 5-1 to approve and adopt the 2020-21 Financial Budget Report. Trustee Chris Bausch cast the lone dissenting vote. Lance Gannon was absent.
The other big issue facing the board Tuesday night was the COVID-19 Athletic Practice Guide. Former PRHS Athletic Director Tom Harrington and Coach Tori Loney explained a four phase plan to restart the athletics and co-curricular programs.
Phase 1 would begin June 24th with summer outdoor conditioning only. In the plan, pods of no more than 10 students at a time would be led by a coach/director to ensure physical distancing. They would conduct 90-minute sessions with staggered arrival times. Daily health screen would be done prior to the start of conditioning. There would be no access to locker rooms, weight rooms, classrooms or to a swimming pool. There would be no touching of any balls. Masks would be required when a 6-foot distancing was not possible or during high intensity workouts. No spectators would be permitted.
Phase 2 would begin July 13th. The rules would relax slightly, but again, masks would be required when 6-foot distancing is not possible.
Phase 3 would begin when San Luis Obispo county moves to Stage 3 of the governor’s COVID-19 plan. Athletes would be allowed to share a ball to throw and catch. Balls would be cleaned appropriately after each drill. Phase 4 would begin when the county moves to Stage 4. The board approved the plan unanimously, 6-0, with Lance Gannon absent.
The board agreed to hold a budget meeting in July, probably July 21st, to discuss the outlook after the state releases it’s budget. Then, the trustees will have a better idea how the PRJUSD budget looks as a result.
