MOUNT VERNON — The uncertain economy was one of the topics discussed Wednesday at the Knox County Educational Service Center board meeting.
“It’s pretty scary,” Treasurer Heather Darnold told the News on Thursday. “With everything being cut, federal and state funding to schools, and with local schools cutting services they get from us, our balance decreases. We will need to look for ways to bring in extra revenue.”
Darnold said the ESC is spending more than it brings in, even though cost containment measures, such as increasing the employee share of insurance by 21 percent, have been implemented.
“We will end this year with a cash balance,” she said, “ but by January ...”
The board did vote to increase preschool tuition rates by $5 per month. The two-day program at the Centerburg public preschool will cost $70 per month and the three-day program $95. The four-day integrated program at Centerburg, Fredericktown and New Hope will be $125 per month, as will the four-day integrated program at Bladensburg. The maximum on a sliding fee scale is $125. Also with a sliding fee scale, costs for the four-day public preschool at Centerburg, Danville and New Hope will be a maximum of $15 per month. The preschool registration fee of $20 remains the same.
