PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
DENNIS HOWARD, CFO, CITY OF LENEXA

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Since our start in October we have hit the ground running in the formation of our organization. The board first entered into a discussion of the association's goals and objective's. The end result of that discussion is being used to create our Mission Statement. The dues structure for our membership has been set, and we are currently finalizing our Policy and Procedure document.

Our first major action was to establish a relationship with Wichita State University. An agreement for services has been negotiated with Bart Hildreth and Lisa Hasse and has been ap

proved by the board. Our partnership will result in educational and networking opportunities throughout the state.

Membership in the organization totals 174 as of March 28, 2000, and includes representatives from cities, counties, school districts, universities, agencies for the State of Kansas and a series of not for profit organizations. This diversity in membership is just what we had been hoping for. 

Communication between members is a very high priority of the board. We have authorized monies for the establishment of the

KSGFOA website, which is currently under construction and will be up and running in the near future.

Success for what has been done and what is yet to be accomplished lies on the shoulders of the organization's officers and board. I am proud of what we have been able to accomplish to date and have a very optimistic view for our future. My thanks to the board for its effort's.

SCHOOL FINANCE IN KANSAS
LARRY LYSELL, SUPERINTENDENT USD #427

School finance is a hot topic every spring in our state. Each year it seems that it becomes more and more complicated to find fairness between large and small school districts. With K-12 districts varying between some under 100 students and those with many thousand students, it is not hard to see why inequities exist and the inherent difficulty in finding a system that is fair to all public school entities in Kansas.

How the school funding system compares to what is utilized in cities and counties is one of the factors I am most interested in learning more about through my association with KSGFOA. Last year the state legislature provided a two year plan which allowed a $50 per student increase for the current year and a $50 increase for next year. Now there is serious talk that the $50 for 2001 is to become $37! How is one to plan for increased

costs in salaries, benefits, and basic inflationary increases due to "whatever"?

It seems that often cities and counties find financial issues more precarious than do school districts, as I've learned in the last few months, so it is not necessary to whine a lot about our situation. BUT by working with KSGFOA and other organizations, there is hope that the plan to fund $50 per student for

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