Lincoln-Way board to vote on narrowing options to reduce deficits

NEW LENOX – Lincoln-Way board members may on Thursday narrow their options to resolve the school district’s crippling budget deficit down to one.

Board members are set to consider at Thursday’s meeting which deficit reduction plan option they might pursue. The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Lincoln-Way Central High School, 1801 E. Lincoln Highway in New Lenox.

Because cutting a class period and extracurricular activities for all students was poorly received by residents, Board President Kevin Molloy said board members agreed not to consider that option.

That leaves moving forward with a tax increase referendum or closing a school.

“I believe we’ll come to a consensus during the board meeting … that one of those two options has a lot of risk and variables that we can’t count on, and one of those have the risk and variables we can count on,” Molloy said.

He said hopefully more board members will weigh in on which option they think should be eliminated. At the July 1 special meeting, board members Christopher McFadden and Christine Glatz suggested closing one of the district’s four schools might be the best option.

Superintendent Scott Tingley said at that meeting that deciding on only one solution might not be enough.

School officials have been working with the Illinois State Board of Education and PMA Financial Network to find a way out of the school district’s roughly $7.9 million deficit.

They have until September to come up with a deficit reduction plan or the school district will be placed on a financial oversight panel. Tingley said at a May 14 meeting at that point the state will close two schools.

School officials have denied rumors for several months they were planning to close a school. Molloy said if the board does decide to close a school, that will be determined at a later date. He said the school administration would need to explore all angles on that decision.

Tingley said school officials are at a point where they will look closely at the potential option of closing a school. He said he anticipates talking about that option more at Thursday’s board meeting, but nothing final would happen.

“I do not anticipate any final decision Thursday,” he said.