DOUGLAS COUNTY, Nev. – During a special meeting on Tuesday, the Douglas County School District (DCSD) trustees voted unanimously to notify parents, teachers, staff and principals of C.C. Meneley and Scarselli elementary schools that the two would be combined in the fall. This is the next required step in a series due to their current financial status: a 30-day notice to those affected. Last week, DCSD Superintendent Frankie Alvarado presented the proposal in a Town Hall meeting, and then he came back to the board on February 3 for the vote on required noticing. A final vote is expected in March.
If approved, Scarselli would be the main school.
DCSD will look at what positions would have to be eliminated based on their chosen scenario. There is already a list of teachers and staff who are retiring or leaving the District, as well as a list of positions that have not been filled – all that will help them get to the estimated elimination of 60 positions.
The District has a set procedure as they eliminate employees after the 30-day notice is issued: NRS (Nevada Revised Statue) requires them to look at performance district-wide, not just at those sites, and seniority is the last guideline and only used in case of a tie on the other steps.
Some of the trustees wanted to “pull back the bandaid” and just make all the cuts necessary at once so they didn’t have to come back in the future and hash it out again should more budget cuts be needed. The process has been long, and hard on those involved.
DCSD hired appraiser Ben Johnson to prepare a report on the value of the properties located at 1638 Mono Avenue, Minden, and Parcel 1320-32-110-005. The current plan would be for the District office to relocate into C.C. Meneley Elementary once it moves into Scarselli, then sell their Mono Avenue offices and adjoining lot.
Their plan to get to $1M in reductions, and the consolidation plan gets them close. The building sale and excess property sales will also help.
These plans will be presented to the Nevada Department of Taxation.
DCSD Board of Trustees have a meeting planned for Feb. 26 but a special meeting could be called, depending on the taxation meeting and consolidation plans.
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