Former Warsaw Community School Corp. Athletic Director Dave Fulkerson found out in a letter that his job as an independent contractor with Warsaw Schools was eliminated.
Fulkerson, 71, said Tuesday afternoon he received the letter from Superintendent Dr. Craig Hintz on Dec. 19. The letter stated Fulkerson's position was eliminated and the school corporation will consider additional compensation for him if additional grant money comes in. Hintz extended his appreciation to Fulkerson for everything he had done over the years for WCS.
Tuesday afternoon, Hintz said, "I discussed with him what my recommendation would be. I appreciate and applaud Dave's service to the school and school community."
He said Fulkerson's position was not as much eliminated as his consulting services with the school corporation were not extended.
"We expect when a person is in a paid fundraising position, they'd generate a significant amount of funds. That was not the case," said Hintz.
When Hintz was hired as WCS's superintendent last year, he said he made the recommendation to the board for Fulkerson's services to be reviewed in three-month segments.
"I knew at the end of December it would not be in the best interests of the school corporation (to keep Fulkerson on) at this time," said Hintz.
Fulkerson had sent out numerous applications for funding, Hintz said. If down the road those applications generate a windfall of grant dollars, Hintz said, he'd certainly recommend Fulkerson be compensated appropriately.
With the economy being in the poor state that it is, Hintz said it is very challenging for grantors. "It's just a really tough time financially to raise dollars," he said.
After 26 years with WCS as Warsaw's athletic director, Dave Fulkerson resigned effective June 30, 2008. The announcement was made at a special school board meeting Jan. 7, 2008. For the 2008-09 school year, Fulkerson was kept on as an independent contractor and associate director of athletics.
Fulkerson was replaced as the athletic director May 31, 2008, by Joe Santa. Fulkerson's contracted wage for the 2007-08 school year as athletic director was $85,376.
Fulkerson's duties in his part-time job as an associate athletic director were to implement special fundraising events and assist with capital campaign planning and execution; design, implement and manage an annual written operating plan for athletic fundraising; identify, cultivate and solicit prospective major athletic benefactors for capital projects, endowments and planned giving; identify, cultivate and solicit prospects for the annual fund; and other fundraising responsibilities.
As an independent contractor, Fulkerson received $47,000 for 2008-09. He said he brought in $62,000 in grants during the first year.
Fulkerson said he had a great 26 years at Warsaw. He enjoyed working with the faculty and staff, school boards, administrators and especially the students.
In June 2009, the school board approved Fulkerson's contract on a three-month basis. At the Sept. 21, 2009, meeting, the school board approved by a vote of 6 to 1 renewing Fulkerson's contract for another three months, from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31, as the development coordinator.
The goal was set for Fulkerson to raise $250,000 over the course of the next year. His annual salary remained at $47,000.
Hintz said he personally does not believe $250,000 was exhorbitant amount with the number of organizations out there. It's their job to consider grant requests.
"I believe it was reasonable and we were not able to have that happen," Hintz said. In the end, he said, a decision was made in the best interest of the school corporation.
At the June and September meetings, board member Kent Adams said it was not anything personal, but he could not vote to approve continuing Fulkerson's contract. Adams said it was his feeling that WCS could raise the money within the current staff, without hiring someone from the outside.
Future grant writing will be done internally, Hintz said Tuesday. As grants become available and WCS has the opportunity to apply for them, the school corporation will organize its own resources to seek those external dollars for the school corporation.
Tuesday, Fulkerson said he had written approximately 150 grants for thousands of dollars each. To date, WCS received a $21,000 grant for band uniforms and an anonymous donation for $5,000.
Early in December, Fulkerson said, Hintz suggested it was a possibility that Fulkerson's position could be eliminated if the grants didn't start coming in. Fulkerson was notified his position was eliminated by letter on Dec. 19.
Now, Fulkerson said, he is out looking for a job.
Fulkerson suggested the grant cycles of foundations may not be on the same cycle as schools' budget cycles.
According to Warsaw Schools Chief Financial Officer Kevin Scott, the school corporation's budget cycle is from January to December. The state's fiscal cycle runs from July to June.
When the state took over the schools' general funds last year, there was a mandate for schools to follow the state's fiscal cycle beginning with July 2010. That date was moved to 2011, but now, Scott said, that may never happen at all.
School corporations develop their budgets in the summer for the next year, with the school board passing it in September, Scott said. The state then works the budget in January.
According to a spokeswoman from the Kosciusko County Community Foundation, they have more than one grant cycle. Grant applications for community funds are due Jan. 15, May 15 and Sept. 15. KEYS grants are due Oct. 1 and Feb. 1. REMC Round-Up grants are due Feb. 15, April 15, June 15, Aug. 15, Oct. 15 and Dec. 15.
