Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
The Logan Board of Education last week during a special meeting unanimously approved a graduation date of 10 a.m. June 27 at its football field, with a possible option of moving the ceremony 70 miles northeast to Dalhart, Texas, if public-gathering bans remain in effect in New Mexico because of coronavirus.
The board surveyed parents of the 19 graduating seniors to find their preference of three possible dates and venues in Logan. Superintendent Dennis Roch said about 60% favored June 27, with July 3 and July 11 trailing respectively. He said most respondents favored the football field over the district’s two gymnasiums.
Roch said the football field would foster social distancing, but the ban of public gatherings of more than 100 people could make it difficult to comply if each senior brought more than three family members. He recommended a morning ceremony at the field because hot temperatures and high winds would be less likely at that time.
He noted even with a proposed July 11 date, there was no guarantee the state would lift the public-gatherings ban by that time. New Mexico’s tourism secretary said in a webinar last month she doesn’t expect public gatherings to resume for 18 months or until a vaccine is available.
Noting fewer coronavirus restrictions in Texas, Roch said the La Rita Performing Arts Theatre in downtown Dalhart might be an alternative for Logan’s graduation.
One board member asked about two graduation ceremonies at Logan to reduce crowd sizes, but Roch noted it would keep the Class of 2020 from graduating together.
Board members voiced their approval of the June 27 date with the Dalhart alternative. They unanimously voted to approve that date with the stipulation that Roch research an alternate location in Texas.
In other business, the board approved a $4.94 million budget for the 2020-2021 fiscal year that anticipates a cash balance of $906,000.
The budget includes possibly spending a total of $285,000 on a new school bus, a new SUV and activity-vehicle repairs that would partially spend down the district’s cash balance in as few as 10 days, Roch said. Those items also can be easily cut from the budget with few dire effects.
The New Mexico Legislature will convene for a special session June 18 to address budget shortfalls because of the pandemic and an oil price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia. Roch said legislators initially talked about taking back school districts’ cash balances several weeks ago, but that has quieted.
Roch said he was inclined to keep a healthy cash balance in the district’s coffers for anticipated budget cuts in early 2021.
“Schools are going to need the money to weather that storm, so we’re not going to touch that right now,” he said. “Every indication we’re hearing is (sweeping) cash balances are off the table.”
Roch also said Logan’s cash balance is about 18% of its budget, which is only slightly higher than the 16% average.
The board also unanimously approved a two-year contract extension for Roch. He will be paid $106,848 annually through June 30, 2022.