VVSD Board to Initiate Budget Process, Vote on Service Contracts

The Valley View Board of Education is scheduled to vote Monday to authorize Assistant Supt. for Administrative Services Gary Grizaffi  to prepare a tentative 2011-12 budget.

Under Grizaffi’s proposed schedule, the draft budget would be placed on 30-day public display starting Aug. 9, and a public hearing scheduled for Sept. 12. The budget must be submitted to the county clerk within 30 days of adoption.

According to documents submitted to the board by Grizaffi, preparation on the 2011 tax levy would start in October. The district is required to file the levy with the county by the last Tuesday in December.

Also on the agenda:

• President Mike Lawler will ask the board to accept donations to fund 20 grant programs at local schools, with a total of $30,000 being awarded to recipients.
• staffers are seeking to expand STEP (Secondary Transition Experience Program), launched this school year at both Valley View high schools to provide resources and post-secondary employment training for students with disabilities, along with independent living skills. In expectation of a projected 68 percent growth in program enrollment next school year, staff is requesting a change of venue to allow due to space limitations at BHS. Under the proposal, the program would move to the former Phoenix space at . The plan would cost roughly $40,000 in renovation expenses. The proposal also calls for replacing one full-time STEP instructor with an administrator who would be paid a salary of $82,000. The change would cost Valley View an additional $8,542.
• The high school curriculum committee seeks approval to purchase $91,000 worth of new sophomore geometry textbooks.
• Contract approvals: The board also will vote on proposals to award several contracts for next school year, including a three-year contract with Al Warren Oil Company, Inc. to provide diesel fuel for district vehicles; pricing will fluctuate based on the low end of the published prices for the Chicago area on the date fuel is delivered. Other contracts up for a vote are $3.2 million 2011 contract renewalfor Valley View custodial services provider GCA Services; a $103,038 contract with Alpha Baking Co. to provide bread to Valley View cafeterias; and the extension of a copier maintenance contract through 2014 with Martin Whalen for $0.005 per copy.