SEQUIM — It may be a rhetorical move, but directors of the Sequim School District will meet Thursday to talk about restoring cuts that were never officially made.
The special meeting, scheduled for 7 p.m. in the Board Room of the old high school, 601 N. Sequim Ave., will give board members the opportunity to look at updated financial information that will help guide them toward shaping a budget for the school year 2004-2005.
That year looked ominous before Tuesday, when the first ballot tally showed that voters overwhelmingly approved a two-year, $5.16 million replacement maintenance and operations levy.
Latest Clallam County returns following Friday’s counting of ballots received after Tuesday night’s count show a total of 9,861 voters, or 73.57 percent, favoring the levy.
Voting no were 3,543 voters, or 26.43 percent.
The winning margin is more than 10 percent above the 60 percent “supermajority” needed to pass a levy in Washington state.
Extracurricular targets
After a larger levy request failed in February, board members voted to make deep cuts to extracurricular programs and activities for next year.
But since program offerings are not technically finalized until budgeting is completed over the summer, the cuts were on paper only — and made to determine which contract staff members would receive layoff notices by a May 15 deadline imposed by their union contracts.
Twelve certificated teachers at the low end of the seniority line were given pink slips.
Board member Dave Blake said he believes it’s likely all will be offered contracts for next year.