he Portola Valley and Woodside elementary school districts are discussing doing what Las Lomitas and the Menlo Park districts did 22 years ago: merge business office operations.
Trustees in the two neighboring districts are scheduled to sign this month a joint-powers agreement to consolidate business offices.
The goal is to increase efficiencies and reduce costs. The cost of the combined operation is estimated at $253,636 for the budget year starting July 1, 2001, compared to a current cost of $315,060 a year for the separate operations. Cost of the combined operation would be split 50/50 by the districts.
The initial deal covers the 18-month period from January 1, 2001, to July 1, 2002. After evaluation, the agreement could be extended.
Both districts are small: there are about 475 students in Woodside and 700 in Portola Valley.
Under the proposed agreement, Portola Valley's Business Manager Tim Hanretty would assume responsibilities for managing business operations for both districts, beginning in January. He and Woodside's Business Manager Toni Imbimbo would collaborate during a six-month transition period, setting the stage for a combined operation on July 1, 2001.
The transition period would give time to "work out the bugs," said Mr. Hanretty.
Officials in both districts say that a merged business office would be more efficient. The plan is to reduce staffing by about one full-time position to a total of 3.18 full-time-equivalent employees.
"No matter how small the district is, you have to do the same reports for the county and state that large districts do," said Superintendent Nancy Spaeth of the Portola Valley district.
The agreement is patterned after the Las Lomitas-Menlo Park model and follows the joint-powers agreement that Portola Valley and Woodside entered into last year for special education.
Ms. Spaeth said former Woodside superintendent Bruce Thompson broached the idea to her a long time ago.
John Harter, the new superintendent of the Woodside district, said he and board members support the concept.
Some of the immediate changes call for Denise Marwedell, Woodside's full-time director of fiscal services, to move to the Portola Valley business office. Kathy Steinstra, Woodside's full-time accounting technician, would remain at Woodside School, providing operational support for programs unique to Woodside, such as its preschool and day care operations.
Ms. Imbimbo, who now works full-time, would reduce her work to 20 hours a week for the transition period.
Mr. Hanretty, Portola Valley's business manager, would remain at the Portola Valley office, with 80 percent of the cost of his time allocated to the joint business office. The remainder, spent on Portola Valley's bond construction project, would be assumed by the Portola Valley district.
Bonnie Sterngold, who works part-time as an accounting technician in the Portola Valley office, will continue to be a Portola Valley employee and provide general accounting services to the collaborative.
Under the proposal, a new full-time accounting technician may be hired on or about July 1 to provide general accounting support in the business office.
