School board declines grant dollars due to concerns related to overhead

By DREW STAMBAUGH

Expositor Staff Writer

The Swanton School Board voted unanimously last week to not accept a grant from the United States Department of Education. The alcohol reduction grant would have distributed about $170,000 per year for three years.

A prepared statement by the board said, "After considering this grant in depth for several months, it was decided by board members that the allocation of funds for the grant were much too heavy in the administrative areas of salaries, office and computer equipment and travel."

The board said earlier that the cost of supplies, which would be used by students, for one year of the grant, was just $4,700. While the cost of travel was around $14,000 and contractual costs amounted to nearly $86,000.

Neil Toeppe, President of the Swanton Area Community Coalition (SACC), which applied for the grant, spoke in favor of the grant in an effort to convince board members to approve it.

He said that over the past four years, the coalition and school district have had a good relationship.

"Our efforts have been to create awareness of the very serious problem of youth alcohol use and other illegal or inappropriate substance use and abuse," Toeppe said. "And our partnership with the school district has shown significant reduction in youth alcohol, tobacco and marijuana consumption."

He also said that the group has tried to alleviate any concerns of school board members.

"We've tried to respond in a positive way to all of the concerns (school officials) had, and didn't negotiate with them, but simply said we would agree to whatever changes they would want to make."

Mona Dyke was the only board member to speak on the issue at the meeting.

"I want parents and students alike to be assured that we are aware of the problems. We certainly are not diminishing in any way the impact that alcohol and other drugs can have on people's lives," said Dyke. "We sure know that it's a problem in Swanton as it is in many places and we will continue to support programs and things for the kids to do."

The board also said in their statement that they have had less than positive experiences in playing the role of fiscal manager for outside groups in the past

"Over half of the money was slated to go to the SACC to carry out the terms of the grant," the statement read. "An additional $30,000 per year was designated to go toward the evaluation of the grant by yet another outside organization."