This year's annual meeting is being held a month early. While the new fiscal year began July 1, Jacobson said holding the annual meeting a month earlier allows for some leeway on hiring decisions. However, teachers, who comprise the biggest chunk of the budget, are already hired for the upcoming school year. Superintendent Sarah Noonan said no new programs are scheduled this school year. Monday night the school board approved borrowing from the First National Bank of River Falls.
Blame is put on a new system of state aid, which delays payments to school districts.
This is a state problem, not a school district problem. Superintendent Sarah Noonan said the state is keeping school aid longer to collect more interest. Page said other districts statewide are having to borrow to meet payroll. She suggested a concerted effort to lobby state lawmakers to change the system.