2004 Year in Review

Will Riverbend & Morrison discuss options?

Could there be a western Whiteside County school district in the future? Budget cuts, declining enrollments, and decreasing farmland assessments may require Riverbend District #2 and Morrison Unit #6 Schools to look at reorganizing.

According to Riverbend’s Superintendent, in Fulton, Donald Mulch their Board of Education sent a letter to Morrison’s “for a possible discussion regarding a cooperative efforts including reorganization or consolidation.” The letter was approved at their February 17th meeting.

The purpose of meeting would be to open dialog and discuss the strengths of each school district and the challenges a cooperative effort might entail. Both school districts have been challenged by financial problems recently. Declining school enrollments seem to be the trend for the future. Farmland has decreased in assessments 10% per year. The State of Illinois continues to put school financing at an inappropriate level. And according to Superintendent Mulch, “Who loses? The students. We need to evaluate our options and opportunities.”

Riverbend proposes $205,000 in budget cuts at their March meeting for next year. Approximately $50,000 in personnel and $155,000 in non-personnel cuts. Morrison District expects budget cuts of $200,000 at their March 16 meeting with the majority being personnel. Last year they made cuts of $880,000. The districts are very similar in size, Morrison teaches 1166 students while Riverbend serves 1100 students.

According to Morrison Superintendent Dr. Jody Ware the board was not aware of any interest by Riverbend until she was contacted on Wednesday. She said, “They were taken by surprise.” Dr. Ware plans on reading the letter at Tuesday night’s Regular Board Meeting and she expects they will act upon it at the March 9th Meeting.

by Barb Benson, theCity1.com
February 23, 2004