Dear Editor,
Has anyone seen the Dodgeville school district’s (DSD) Fund Balance figures and projections? This account is the district’s savings account. School districts use this account to stabilize cash flow, for emergencies, avoid short term borrowing. Is the DSD purposely spending it down to a negative projection (-$402,959) by 2028-29, which is prohibited by state law, to promote their referendum need? The district plans on losing $1.8+M in 3 years vs cutting costs. In 2021-22, the fund balance was $4,213,976. And between 2020-21 the district’s Federal covid relief funds were $1,589,776. Where did those funds go, along with the ANNUAL $1.3 M (minus adjustments) from a previous referendum? The district, board and finance committee members need to take difficult measures to address their radical spending, needs vs wants. No amount of referendum funding will be sufficient unless expenses are reigned in. Taxpayers shouldn’t have to continue ‘fixing’ the districts’ overspending, which administration and board members are paid to do.
Tom Mueller Dodgeville, WI