Colon Board of Education voted on several budget cuts

Members of the Colon Community Schools Board of Education voted Monday on a number of measures that will cut more than $550,000 from its $6 million budget.
The votes include the backing of an administrative reorganization that will create a K-12 principal position and be based at Colon Elementary School, and a dean of students who will also hold the post of athletic director and maintain a primary office at the high school.
Another measure includes the adoption of an insurance hard cap for all district employees, who currently have an 80/20 plan. Also, up to four teachers – possibly three general-education teachers and one special-education teacher – are likely consequences of the vote.
To the pleasure of an audience in excess of 70 people, the board did vote to keep in house its Michigan Great Start Readiness Program rather than turn it over to the St. Joseph County Intermediate School District.
Also, it delayed until May a proposal to contract transportation service to Lansing-based Dean Transportation.
The district’s finance committee and Superintendent Vic Bugni plan to work together in coming weeks to finalize the $559,000 in cuts authorized Monday.