A meeting seeking public comment on solutions to the Menlo Park City School District's budget problems will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 27, at the Hillview Performing Arts Center, 1100 Elder Ave. in Menlo Park. The main topic of the school board meeting will be a review of the May 3 parcel tax election.
Also on the agenda is a short discussion of a contract for Eric Burmeister, currently the district's assistant superintendent, that, if approved would have him take the district's top job when Superintendent Maurice Ghysels leaves at the end of June. The board will not take action on the contract until its Oct. 18 regular meeting.
The proposed contract would put Mr. Burmeister's starting base salary at $223,000 a year with 25 days of paid vacation and a $250 a month vehicle allowance. He is currently paid a $192,045 base salary with 20 days of vacation and a $2,000 annual transportation allowance.
Mr. Ghysels current contract has his base pay at $235,205 with the same vacation and vehicle-allowance provision.
For those who can't attend the meeting in person, the district has an online form for feedback. The meetings about the budget problems will be recorded on video and posted on the district's website.
These additional meetings on the district's finances are scheduled to be held at the Hillview Middle School Performing Arts Center at 1100 Elder Ave. in Menlo Park:
● Oct. 18 at 6 p.m: The regular board meeting will include a discussion and a report on recommendations to address the deficit.
● Oct. 24 at 9 a.m. and Oct. 25 at 6 p.m.: Community discussions on how the district can increase revenue.
● Nov. 9 at 6 p.m.: The board will continue to discuss recommendations for increasing revenue and decreasing expenses, will review community input and give direction to staff.
● Nov. 30 at 6 p.m.: Final plan for addressing the projected deficit to be approved by the board. (The date of this meeting is set so as to allow the board to decide whether to put a parcel tax measure on the March 2017 ballot before the Dec. 2 deadline for approval of ballot measures.)
• See an earlier story about the district's financial situation.
• See an earlier story about the announcement of Mr. Burmeister's possible promotion.