On the chopping block

Here is the list of recommended cuts to the 2005-06 Port Angeles School District budget if the proposed maintenance and operations levy isn’t passed by voters in May.

The list, developed by the district’s fiscal advisory committee, is listed in descending order by estimated savings amount.

* $7,000: Cut School Board’s travel budget.

* $9,000: Move information technology department from rented space to vacant school area.

* $12,000: Cut Visions completely.

* $12,500: Cut non-grant-funded staff development travel.

* $21,000: Cut athletics secretary position at Port Angeles High School to half-time.

* $25,000: Cut NovaNet program.

* $25,000: Cut school resource officer partnership with Port Angeles Police Department.

* $30,000: Stop all lawn and field watering.

* $30,000: Cut all non-grant-funded personal service contracts.

* $40,000: Increase fees for community use of schools to break even for full cost of utilities and custodial, or stop all outside usage.

* $40,000: Reduce building temperature to 65 degrees maximum.

* $50,000: Cut career and technical education vocational equipment supported from levy.

* $64,000: Cut one elementary counselor position.

* $71,000: Cut outreach program position, plus non-employee-related costs.

* $78,000: Cut two Level I secretary positions at elementary schools.

* $84,000: Close Library Processing Center, including two full-time positions.

* $90,000: Cut central administration (merge director of information technology and facilities positions to save one full-time position; athletics position cut with athletics/activities].

* $96,000: Cut Strings Program at elementary schools, including 1.5 positions.

* $100,000: Cut Maintenance Department budget by 15 percent.

* $130,000: Cut new textbook purchases.

* $150,000: Redefine high school “junior status” to include passing WASL test; reduce number of students eligible to attend Running Start by 30.

* $150,000: Cut 50 percent of information technology equipment purchases.

* $190,000: Cut five para-educator positions.

* $285,000: Close Choice Community School, merge with Port Angeles High School.

* $287,500: Implement every-other night custodial services.

* $365,000: Cut all busing to and from all schools, except required special education busing.

* $758,000: Cut all extracurricular athletics, activities and special music.

* $1,312,000: Cut teaching positions to “minimum state-funding” level in all grades (20.5 full-time-equivalent positions).

Total estimated savings: $4,512,000.

More in News

Peninsula College to continue without budget

Board expects plan in September

An Olympic marmot stands as the star of the show at Hurricane Ridge on Monday. These tourists from Alaska stopped and photographed the creature from a distance as he slowly ate his meal of wildflowers. The marmot is a rodent in the squirrel family and is unique to Washington state. The hibernating mammal’s burrow is only about 50 feet up the paved path away from the parking lot. The group had just photographed deer at the Ridge. (Dave Logan/for Peninsula Daily News)
Olympic marmot

An Olympic marmot stands as the star of the show at Hurricane… Continue reading

Eighth-graders Saydey Cronin and Madelyn Bower stand by a gazebo they and 58 other students helped to build through their Sequim Middle School Core Plus Instruction industrial arts class. The friends were two of a handful of girls to participate in the building classes. (Matthew Nash/Olympic Peninsula News Group)
Middle school students build gazebo for academy

Businesses support project with supplies, flooring and tools

Frank Nicholson and David Martel.
Veterans in Warrior Bike program to pass through Peninsula towns

Community asked to welcome, provide lodging this summer

Special Olympian Deni Isett, center, holds a ceremonial torch with Clallam County Sheriff Brian King, right, accompanied by Lt. Jim Thompson of the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribal Police on a leg of the Law Enforcement Torch Run on the Olympic Discovery Trail at Port Angeles City Pier. Tuesday’s segment of the run, conducted mostly by area law enforcement agencies, was organized to support Special Olympics Washington and was to culminate with a community celebration at 7 Cedars Casino in Blyn. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Carrying the torch

Special Olympian Deni Isett, center, holds a ceremonial torch with Clallam County… Continue reading

Hopefuls for Olympic Medical Center board debate

Talk focuses on funds, partnership

An encapsulated engineered coupler used to repair a January leak. The leak occurred along a similar welded joint near to the current leak. (City of Port Townsend)
Port Townsend considers emergency repair for pipeline

Temporary fix needs longer-term solution, officials say

Traffic to be stopped for new bridge girders

Work crews for the state Department of Transportation will unload… Continue reading

The Peninsula Crisis Response Team responded with two armored vehicles on Tuesday when a 37-year-old Sequim man barricaded himself in a residence in the 200 block of Village Lane in Sequim. (Clallam County Sheriff’s Office)
Man barricaded with rifle arrested

Suspect had fired shots in direction of deputies, sheriff says

An interior view of the 12-passenger, all-electric hydrofoil ferry before it made a demonstration run on Port Townsend Bay on Saturday. Standing in the aisle is David Tyler, the co-founder and managing director of Artemis Technologies, the designer and builder of the carbon fiber boat. (Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News)
Demonstration provides glimpse of potential for ferry service

Battery-powered hydrofoil could open water travel

Electronic edition of newspaper set for Thursday holiday

Peninsula Daily News will have an electronic edition only… Continue reading

Juliet Shidler, 6, tries on a flower-adorned headband she made with her mother, Rachel Shidler of Port Angeles, during Saturday’s Summertide celebration in Webster’s Woods sculpture park at the Port Angeles Fine Arts Center. The event, which marks the beginning of the summer season, featured food, music, crafts and other activities for youths and adults. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Summertide festival

Juliet Shidler, 6, tries on a flower-adorned headband she made with her… Continue reading