BASSC district members voted in support of O’Fallon’s withdraw

With a standing room only full house Wednesday evening, the Belleville Area Special Services Cooperative district members voted in favor by a majority for O’Fallon District 203 to withdraw from the BASSC program to save the district money.

“I didn’t really have any expectations, but it doesn’t surprise me that district members voted in favor,” BASSC Executive Director Jeff Daugherty said after the 45-minute meeting convened.

He went on to say that the meeting acted as a precursor to future action that will occur down the line, but that “the future financial impact on BASSC member districts is uncertain at this time.”

With a 16-6 vote, and minimal questions from other district representatives, O’Fallon’s District 203 Superintendent Darcy Benway left the meeting held at Belleville’s BASSC campus off Green Mount Road with a smile on her face.

“I’m very pleased that the BASSC cooperative group is going to recommend our petition to withdraw,” Benway said.

Following the vote, Daughterty assured attending district members the next step in the process is for each district to take action on whether or not to support the withdraw officially.

The vote primarily focused on informing members of the fiscal year 2016 scenario illustrating the estimated financial impact on current members if O’Fallon District 203 would no longer be a member, according to Daugherty.

Local assessment, school psychology billing, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act funding (IDEA), Instructional program tuition and existing bond debt are five areas Daugherty highlighted during his informational preface to the vote.

“I think following this meeting there will be more individual discussion at the district level, and it has to be wrapped up in 60 days ... (when) each local district has to take action themselves,” Daugherty added. “At the earliest, this wouldn’t affect BASSC or its members no sooner than 2016-2017 school year.”

Keith Richter, O’Fallon district 203 board member, said nothing about the meeting surprised him, but one thing he did expect was that “the smaller school districts would vote in opposition.”

Smithton Superintendent Susan Homes said voting against O’Fallon’s withdraw was in her district’s best interest to maintain fiscal responsibility.

“Our district has financial challenges, and our education fund, which is the fund that covers the cost of our relationship with BASSC and our special education services, is in deficit spending,” Homes explained. “We can’t in good conscience vote to knowingly increase our costs, and while we are sensitive to O’Fallon’s situation, we feel as though our stance is we have to be representative of our own financial condition and trying to save dollars in our district.”

Matt Klosterman, Belleville district 118 superintendent, motioned for the board to take a roll call vote, while Craig Fiegel, district 19 superintendent, seconded the motion.

New Athens, District 60; St. Libory, District 30; Marissa, District 40; Wolf Branch, District 113 and Highmount, District 116, both in Swansea; and Smithton, District 130, were the six opposing districts, of the 22 district members who voted.

This story was originally published July 15, 2015 at 9:14 PM with the headline "BASSC district members voted in support of O’Fallon’s withdraw."