Ready to get started.

POTTSTOWN PA – No moss will be allowed to grow, apparently, beneath the virtual feet of the Pottsgrove School District as it looks for volunteers to offer suggestions in paring its upcoming budget.

Less than 24 hours after the district Board of School Directors decided to ask Pottsgrove stakeholders to donate their time and talents in determining 2011-2012 budget priorities, Superintendent Dr. Bradley Landis issued a press release seeking workers for what is being called the “Community Budget Task Force.”

The board’s informal agreement to form the task force occurred Tuesday night (Oct. 26, 2010) at about 8:30 p.m. Landis’ e-mailed release was distributed the next afternoon (Wednesday, Oct. 27) at 3:50 p.m.

The task force itself won’t be formed until January, Landis noted, so why the urgency? “The time frame is somewhat tight,” his prepared statement answered.

Collectively, the task force could be expected to “put in hundreds of hours of research and deliberations” before presenting findings for directors’ consideration, it said. Rather than wait for word to slowly filter out about its need, Landis acknowledged Pottsgrove is already beating the bushes to find “anyone interested in participating.”

Volunteers are asked to express their interest by calling Landis’ secretary, Barb Paolucci, at 610-327-2277, Ext. 1011, or by sending an e-mail to CommunityBudget@pgsd.org.

The district hopes as many as 30 or more people – community residents, parents of school children, Pottsgrove employees, and others – will agree to serve on committees that would analyze the schools’ expenses and recommend operating efficiencies and potential budget cuts.

Like other districts “around the region and nation, Pottsgrove is looking at a serious budget deficit for at least the next two years,” the release explained. Its shortfall could amount to as much as $2 million, Landis said, and added, “we want the input of our community as we make these tough choices.”

During its discussions Tuesday, the board anticipated task force members will:

• Open with a group meeting in which they would get an overview of the district’s budget crisis and its causes;
• Divide into subcommittees to focus on specific areas of spending;
• Examine expenses in energy and facilities, student transportation, educational programs, technology, and extracurricular activities;
• Identify cost savings;
• Develop a feasibility report on ways to operate in a more cost-effective manner; and
• Deliver their findings to directors in April 2011.

Task force meetings have been tentatively set for Feb. 1, Feb. 15, March 15, and March 29, all from 7 to 9 p.m. in Pottsgrove High School, Kauffman Road, Pottstown PA.

• These events have been added to The Post calendar.

Board members have repeatedly said they would reserve “the right to make final decisions regarding budget priorities,” and task force findings would “be advisory in nature.”

Related (to the Pottsgrove Board of School Directors’ Oct. 26 meeting):

• Pottsgrove Isn’t Waiting In Search For Budget Volunteers
• If You’ve Got A Budget Idea, Pottsgrove Says It’ll Listen
• Pottsgrove Seeks More Input On District Budget
• Download a copy of the Oct. 26 meeting agenda, here

Top photo from Clipart.com