WCS Saw Over $200K In Extra Gas Costs In 2022

January 11, 2023 at 1:45 a.m.
WCS Saw Over $200K In Extra Gas Costs In 2022
WCS Saw Over $200K In Extra Gas Costs In 2022

By Jackie [email protected]

Warsaw Community Schools spent over $200,000 in extra gas costs in 2022 as compared to 2021.

Chief Financial Officer April Fitterling told the Warsaw School Board Tuesday that for 2021, the school corporation spent around $440,000 for the calendar year. For 2022, WCS spent a little over $659,000.

She said, starting at the 2022-23 school year, gas prices were higher with a nationwide average of around $5 per gallon at one point.

There were a couple factors that went into higher gas prices, but Fitterling said WCS is using cost-cutting measures, such as not running bus routes they don’t need to and cutting back on day-to-day courtesy shuttles. She let the Board know that the increase in how much WCS spent on gas is on WCS’ radar.

Superintendent Dr. David Hoffert also talked about the bus driver shortage. Over the past couple years, he said the school corporation went from 58 routes to 35 routes, all still running at least 12,000 miles per day picking and dropping students off. 

Fitterling said the bus drivers work hard, long days.

In other business, the Board:

• Approved Heather Reichenbach as president, Randy Polston as vice president and Elle Turley as secretary for 2023.

• Swore in board members that were elected during the Nov. 8 general election. Reichenbach and Brad Johnson were re-elected to their position and Tom Westerhof and Denny Duncan were elected to their first term. Duncan was not in person at the meeting and attended via Zoom.

• Approved meeting dates and times for 2023.

• Approved administrative committees for Board members.

• Heard the construction at Warsaw Community High School is ahead of schedule.

• Learned WCS received a little over $223,000 from the state for its summer school reimbursement.

Fitterling said the reimbursement covered about 64% of what the school corporation spent on summer school.

Warsaw Community Schools spent over $200,000 in extra gas costs in 2022 as compared to 2021.

Chief Financial Officer April Fitterling told the Warsaw School Board Tuesday that for 2021, the school corporation spent around $440,000 for the calendar year. For 2022, WCS spent a little over $659,000.

She said, starting at the 2022-23 school year, gas prices were higher with a nationwide average of around $5 per gallon at one point.

There were a couple factors that went into higher gas prices, but Fitterling said WCS is using cost-cutting measures, such as not running bus routes they don’t need to and cutting back on day-to-day courtesy shuttles. She let the Board know that the increase in how much WCS spent on gas is on WCS’ radar.

Superintendent Dr. David Hoffert also talked about the bus driver shortage. Over the past couple years, he said the school corporation went from 58 routes to 35 routes, all still running at least 12,000 miles per day picking and dropping students off. 

Fitterling said the bus drivers work hard, long days.

In other business, the Board:

• Approved Heather Reichenbach as president, Randy Polston as vice president and Elle Turley as secretary for 2023.

• Swore in board members that were elected during the Nov. 8 general election. Reichenbach and Brad Johnson were re-elected to their position and Tom Westerhof and Denny Duncan were elected to their first term. Duncan was not in person at the meeting and attended via Zoom.

• Approved meeting dates and times for 2023.

• Approved administrative committees for Board members.

• Heard the construction at Warsaw Community High School is ahead of schedule.

• Learned WCS received a little over $223,000 from the state for its summer school reimbursement.

Fitterling said the reimbursement covered about 64% of what the school corporation spent on summer school.
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