BL superintendent urges public to take part in census

LISBON - Beaver Local School District Superintendent Sandra DiBacco said Monday she hopes area residents participate in the 2010 census.

According to a press release from U.S. Rep. Charlie Wilson (OH-6) Thursday, results of the census will determine how more than $445 billion in federal funds are distributed to state, local and tribal governments over the next decade.

School districts are included in the federal money distribution and Beaver Local has been facing a financial crunch. The district is currently working with a state-appointed fiscal commission to bring district finances out of the hole.

The district was officially placed in fiscal emergency Feb. 11 and has since made attempts to curb spending, including instituting a 3 percent wage freeze for administrative/confidential employees for the 2010-11 school year, non-renewing some employee contracts, and even eliminating a handful of positions.

Other Ohio school districts in fiscal emergency are East Cleveland City, Youngstown City, Springfield Local, Federal Hocking Local, Jefferson Township Local, McDonald Local, and Bellaire Local.

Youngstown City and Springfield Local have been placed in fiscal emergency twice. Youngstown was first placed in fiscal emergency in 1996, and was most recently placed in fiscal emergency Nov. 16, 2006. Springfield was first placed in fiscal emergency in 2000 and was most recently placed in fiscal emergency May 16, 2007. Beaver Local is the only district so far this year to have a fiscal emergency 2010 declaration.

This year marks the first year that eight school districts have been in fiscal emergency at one time. Before 2010, the most districts at one time to be placed in fiscal emergency was in 1999. At that time, five districts were declared in fiscal emergency.

A representative from the Ohio Auditor of State's office was unable to offer information explaining why more districts are in need of a state-appointed commission to help relieve budgetary woes.

Once a district is placed in fiscal emergency, a five-member state-appointed commission must assist the board of education, the superintendent and the treasurer with district matters.

The educational system has experienced a decrease in federal funding over the past year, but because each district was declared at a different time (some dating back as far as 2003), it would be difficult to attribute all financial issues to the statewide educational budget.

Despite federal budget cuts, hope of receiving federal funds has been a topic of discussion during several meetings held within the Beaver Local School District. Board member Brian McKenzie pointed out Monday district residents should take advantage of free and reduced lunches if they qualify, since the district poverty rate affects grant eligibility.

DiBacco has also previously urged the public to participate in the census because each person who participates increases the chance of the area receiving federal funds.

Wilson echoed the same sentiments. In a statement released Thursday, he said, "Areas most affected by Census undercounting lose about $2,913 in federal funds per uncounted person. Our area just can't afford that."

The release also indicated the 2000 Census had a 65 percent national response rate, with an estimated undercount of more than three million people.

"We can't afford to be undercounted and lose vital funding," Wilson said.

According to the release, the 2010 Census is the shortest in U.S. history, consisting of only ten questions. The census is conducted every ten years and questions pertain to the number of people residing in the home and their demographic information.

The Census Bureau announced Thursday 2010 Census forms will be distributed in 120 million mailboxes around the nation this week.

Wilson cautioned that official census documents will never ask for a full social security number, money or a donation, PIN codes, passwords or similar access information for credit cards, banks or other financial amounts, and that residents receiving suspicious mailings should contact the Census Bureau or Postmaster General's office.

The fiscal commission will meet with district officials 10:30 a.m. Feb. 15. in the administration building at 10:30 a.m. The meeting is open to the public. However, commission members are not required to respond to public questioning.