With saving money topping the International Falls School Board's list of priorities, action to hire a consultant to develop long-term goals for the district was tabled Monday.

“The board had discussed consulting services at an earlier date...in the ballpark of $4,000, maybe $5,000,” said Superintendent Nordy Nelson of hiring a consultant.

Based on a recommendation from a member of the Blue Ribbon Panel, a group of community members who meet to brainstorm ideas to better the Falls school district, officials sought a quote from Big River Group LCC, based in St. Cloud.

The proposed price tag for Big River's services came back at $12,025 with an additional $24,500 for superintendent search services.

“It's a cost that is quite in excess of what we were talking about,” Nelson told board members.

Nelson last week told The Journal that as superintendent, he has started the process of long-term planning for the district, setting goals, and meeting with the public. With no intention to renew his contract that expires June 30, Nelson said if his replacement doesn’t continue a similar process, the effort could stop.

“And that is what a consultant would do,” he said last week of continuing the process.

But Monday, the superintendent recommended board members table any action on hiring a consultant and seek quotes from other companies.

“At this time, I would have to recommend the board do some research on other consultants,” he said.

Board member Gordy Dault said he didn't want to lose sight of work the Blue Ribbon Panel has done in pinpointing ways to better the district.

“We really need to stay on track with getting some focus on those goals,” he said.

Board member Willi Kostiuk said the board should consider setting aside money to hire a consultant and capping the amount around $4,000.

“I definitely have a problem with (spending) $12,000,” he said. “I believe we have to have some help...but not worth that much.”

He added it was especially critical to watch spending during a time the board is considering cost adjustments because the district's declining enrollment has resulted in a loss of about $480,000 in state funding.

Meanwhile, as the board considers making cost adjustments, members Monday agreed to work with Nelson on developing cost-saving initiatives through employee early retirement incentive packages.

“At this time, I don't have a number for you as far as how many (employees) may be interested,” Nelson said. “But I have been approached by two people.”

In other business, the board set the district's 2014 levy at $2.29 million – an increase over last year’s levy of $1.96 million.

Nelson said the increase comes from the number of levies the district works with, several of which he said “jumped” this year. In addition, he said there are new levies the district is allowed to utilize that add to the increase.

“New levies increases the local effort, but decreases the state’s budget,” he said.

The board also Monday:

  • Approved a handbook for a co-ed trap shooting league. In August, the board agreed to endorse offering a clay target league to students in the spring. The activity has been exploding in popularity with about 215 schools across the state signing up. The sport hasn’t been picked up as an official state school sport, but Kevin Grover, athletic director, said the possibility exists.
  • Adopted a resolution to expel an unnamed student, who according to documents read by board Chairman Darrell “Boxer” Wagner, was distributing drugs on school property.
  • Approved the hire of Alex Ringhofer as a .63 full-time equivalent secondary math teacher for the remainder of the 2013-2014 school year.
  • Agreed to increase the hours of Tom Vollom, who teaches Ojibwe II, Ojibwe III and American Indian Studies, from .5 FTE to .8 FTE.