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Show il c-rzL South Summit Official Expresses Fears Over Boundary Changes South Summit Superintendent Val Edrington and board member Bud Eliot discuss the boundary line problem at last Wednesday's joint school board meeting in the library of Park City high school. Park City and South Summit held a joint school board meeting last Wednesday here at the high school to try to come to terms regarding the school district boundary line problem, however no decision was made and it appears it will take approximately another month before South Summit School Board decides whether to change the line which would effect 25 percent of South Summit students who attend Park City schools. Approximately one fourth of Park City's student body live in the South Summit School District. A recent survey of 180 families living in the affected areas showed 66 percent want the line to be changed which would enable them to be part of the local school district and give them a vote on Park City school matters. It was decided at last week's meeting that Park City Superintendent Superin-tendent Richard Goodworth and South Summit Superintendent Val Edrington would meet with state school board representatives, representa-tives, including State Superintendent Superin-tendent of Public Instruction, Walter Talbot, as well as with state legislators to discuss the ramifications of changing the school district boundary line as well as to write up a tentative document concerning financial agreements between the two districts. Superintendent Edrington said there were two primary concerns in South Summit regarding a possible change in the line: 1) reorganization, or consolidation of Park City, South Summit, and North Summit districts 2) loss of tax revenue. The South Summit superintendent superin-tendent said he figured his district would lose anywhere from $10,000 to $20,000 a year in revenue which has been used on an ongoing basis in their capital outlay program if the line were changed. "We're proposing Park City pay an indemnity to South Summit School District for the loss of that revenue," Superintendent Superin-tendent Edrington said. The Superintendent added the indemnity payment by Park City should continue until South Summit's assessed valuation increases in-creases to the point when it offsets that loss in tax revenue. South Summit would stand to lose $4,307,163 if the boundary line is changed. Those areas where students attend Park City schools, yet live within South Summit School District include Holiday Ranch, Park Meadows, Thaynes Canyon, Holiday Village, Prospector Village, Vil-lage, Silver Creek, Hidden Cove, and Highland Estates. Families in these areas do ' not have a representative on the Park City School Board. The Record contacted Moroni Jensen, President of the state Senate, and he said if the boundary issue went before the Utah legislature, reorganization would be unlikely. "I think the legislature will look kindly upon changing the line," said Mr. Jensen. "I doubt reorganization will be suggested." suggest-ed." And he added, "I don't think there will be any great problem with it." Mr. Jensen said he spoke with Superintendent Edrington and suggested Park City and South Summit school districts first arrive at an agreement before posing the line problem before the legislature. He also told the Record he was in favor of changing the school district boundary line. If reorganization does occur, the three school districts will have only one school board and one superintendent. Neither Park City or South Summit want reorganization. reorgani-zation. In its maintenance and operation opera-tion budget (M and O) South Summit currently receives 55 percent of its money from their district and 45 percent from the state. If the line changes, 60 percent will come from the state and 40 percent locally. South Summit pays Park City $125 for each student from their district who attend Park City schools. South Summit presently owes Park City $12,610.75 for student payments. Superintendent Superintend-ent Edrington said one advantage to a line change would be that South Summit would no longer have to make such payments to Park City since they would cease to be a part of South Summit School District. A change in school district boundary lines must be approved by the legislature which does not meet until January of next year, however Edrington said if a decision was made to change the line, it would more than likely be reviewed before the education sub-committee of the legislature which meets once a month. Before making any final decisions. decis-ions. Superintendent Edrington said he wanted to speak to more state legislators to determine the possibility of consolidation if the line were to change. He added he will have a decision by the time of the next South Summit School Board meeting, May 11. Park City School Board President Presi-dent Gary Boyle said at last week's meeting he hoped a decision was soon coming. "It's easy to let these things slide," Boyle said. "We've got to work on it." Another joint school board meeting will be held May 17 at South Summit High School, at which time, a final decision concerning a change in the boundary line and what sort of financial agreement to establish will be discussed. |