The Ketchikan School Board meets Wednesday, and among the items on the agenda a new budget concept for the board to discuss, with a focus on maintaining staff; a motion to approve a new school district budget format agreed upon by the School Board and the Ketchikan Gateway Borough Assembly; and a discussion on how marijuana legalization might affect board policies.
According to Superintendent Robert Boyle’s report to the board, the “staff-priority” budget was suggested by Board Member Stephen Bradford, and it puts purchase of new curriculum at a lower priority than retaining staff.
In his memo, Boyle writes that the argument for that kind of budget is that new material won’t be needed if the staff isn’t there to teach it.
Boyle stressed in his memo that the proposal is just an idea, and nothing has been designated for cutting at this point.
The board has just started its annual budget process. The entire budget, without any cuts, would total about $33.3 million.
The marijuana discussion was prompted by a vote of Alaskans last fall legalizing pot. Personal possession and consumption of marijuana by adults will become legal on Feb. 24.
Wednesday’s meeting starts at 6 p.m. in Borough Assembly chambers at the White Cliff Building. Public comment will be heard at the start and end of the meeting.
