Allen County commissioners voted unanimously to make $100,000 a year available for the next three years to help pay operating costs at the Bowlus Fine Arts Center.
The revenue will go toward what USD 257 deemed impossible to pony up, because of cuts in state aid. The school district likely will continue to budget $44,000 a year for use of Bowlus classrooms for art, vocal music and drama-related classes.
The county’s rescue includes the provision that none of their allotment may be used for attorney fees. The district is in the process of asking a District Court judge to review the will of Thomas H. Bowlus, which provided money for construction of the facility and $1 million in a trust fund to pay ongoing costs. Susan Raines, executive director, pointed out the trust generates less than $50,000 a year in today’s financial environment.
Raines said she was encouraged by all three commissioners’ — Chairman Jerry Daniels, Tom Williams and Jim Talkington — interest in maximizing the Bowlus’ exposure to school children across Allen and adjoining counties.
Raines said area school districts are involved in the Arts-in-Education Program, which include professional children’s shows in the Bowlus auditorium attended by all elementary children in the county; the Allen County Young Authors celebration; clinics and workshops for art, music and drama.
Allen Community College also uses Bowlus facilities.
Tony Leavitt, president of the USD 257 Board of Education, was somewhat relieved by the outcome, though, admitting to being a worrier, said “more needs to be done” to solve financial support of the Bowlus over the long run. “Maybe in six or eight months, maybe a year, we’ll get there. But we aren’t there yet.”
Superintendent of Schools Jack Koehn agreed, adding districts are uneasy about their situations because the formula for school finance remains in limbo.
Officials are anxiously awaiting a decision by the Kansas Supreme Court as to whether schools across the state are funded in an equitable manner.
But, in the short term, Bowlus funding is on an even keel. With commissioners’ decision to award $100,000, Raines will have a budget of $330,000 for the 2016-17 school year. That is $74,000 less than the year about to conclude, but workable, she said. Cash carryover, which would increase revenue, won’t be known until books are closed at the end of June.
With school budgets figured on state fiscal periods, the Bowlus’ next budget year starts July 1. The county’s covers calendar years. That means the county, on another motion that found unanimous support, will transfer $25,000 each quarter to Bowlus coffers, starting in July.
The county has contributed $32,000 a year.
Meanwhile, Iola will continue to contribute $29,000 a year, or what is produced by a levy of 1 mill. City Administrator Carl Slaugh shook his head side-to-side when asked if the city was considering an increase.
UNANIMITY on the county’s part seemed assured from the minute Raines began a brief review of the Bowlus budget and what annual contributions of $75,000 or $100,000 would mean.
