Deferred maintenance and capital improvement projects to be done this summer include roofing, re-roofing, painting, kitchen and plumbing work at area schools.
An application for state funds to make $8.5 million worth of repairs in 6 Arcadia schools is moving ahead. Funds for the repairs, from the Leroy F. Greene State School Building Lease-Purchase Program, a bond measure, have been exhausted. However, another bond issue, coming up in the June 1990 election, is expected to pass and provide money to continue the program.
Apparent violations of state laws prior to 1978 are costing the Arcadia School District $250,000 at a time when it is already having to squeeze $1 million from its program just to maintain a balanced budget.
On June 14 the School Board voted to spend $23,399 from the general fund to finance a program, formerly funded by Federal monies, for the culturally disadvantaged.
Arcadia schools have received $377,665 from the California state lottery and the district expects another, slightly smaller, payment for January-March 1986.
City Council unanimously agreed to hold a June election to attempt to bail the school district out of its financial troubles. Proposition A would increase the utility tax by 2%, bringing in $550,000. Proposition B would raise the tax an additional 1% bringing $250,000 more. The funds would be for maintenance of school property and facilities used by the city.
About $1 million will have to be chopped from the expenditures column of Arcadia School District's 1987-88 tentative budget if the district wants to ensure an adequate contingency fund and avoid running a deficit. According to Assistant Superintendent of Business Services, Dennis Chuning, this undoubtedly involves staff cuts.
In search of $50,000 in additional money for education, the Arcadia Unified School District has kicked off a district-wide energy conservation program in an effort to cut energy usage for each school by 10% compared with last year.
Assemblyman Richard Mountjoy's staff is trying to obtain a special waiver to save the Arcadia School District much of the $250,000 it was allotted to rectify old violations of state law.
Last year the School District received $138,000 from different community groups. The District, in a financial crunch, used the funds for some of its basic expenses.
The Arcadia Unified School District's high school dropout rate was 1.13% for the 1987-88 school year. Erroneous figures previously released by the state Dept. of Education had the figures at 7.05% to 15%.
Arcadia School Board members unanimously approved the funds to prepare and file the necessary legal documents to hold a bond election on September 15 that could raise nearly $28 million to renovate the district's classrooms.
With the passage of Governor Deukmejian's cost-cutting state budget, the Arcadia Board of Education will have to find more than $1 million to cut to get down to its estimated $24.2 million income and that, according to Superintendent Stephen Goldstone, probably means some employees will have to go.
Two-thirds of Arcadia's school teachers have resigned from the district PTA in the wake of a dispute over a chapter president's support for their unresolved contract negotiations.
City Council has expressed interest in helping bail the school district out of some of its financial problems. There are a number of areas in which the city could provide assistance. One possibility being considered is a June election to determine public support for such action.
The School Board has begun discussions on a proposed tax increase election to cope with galloping inflation. The Board hopes to hold the election on April 15, 1975 in conjunction with the election for Board members.
Incumbents Mary Dougherty, 57, and Joann Steinmeier, 47, beat out challenger Debbie Ewing, 29, for 2 Arcadia Unified School District Board of Education positions. A bond measure to raise funds to renovate AUSD facilities won by a vote of 71% to 28.3% (67% was needed to pass).
Article gives distribution to cities and counties of state cigarette, "in-lieu" motor vehicle license fees, and highway users tax. Arcadia received $17,778 of the cigarette tax, and $44,798 of the other fees.