It was a standing room only crowd Tuesday night at the Moline Public Library for a public forum on the Moline School District Budget.
It was a chance for parents, teachers, and Moline taxpayers to hear and talk about the budget situation.
The Moline School District is facing a $3.8 million deficit in its education fund heading into next year and cuts are going to have to happen.
There are no specifics about just what is on the chopping block at this point, but Moline Superintendent Dr. Dave Moyer tells us staffing cuts are pretty much inevitable.
Simply put, the district is dealing with declining revenues, and the biggest portion of its spending is on personnel.
That said, nothing is set in stone just yet.
And that's what this meeting was all about - gaining public input to shape the budget process moving forward, before the final budget proposal is presented in April.
"We're getting close to the deadlines that we face and decisions that have to be made, and we wanted to make sure people had an opportunity to come out and share their thoughts with us," Dr. Moyer said.
"I think we all have a little better understanding," added one parent who attended the forum, Colleen Grigsby. "There are no easy choices at this point. But, I do believe certain things need to be dealt with on a much more drastic level."
The people who attended Tuesday's forum were asked to fill out forms and come up with short lists on post-it notes in small groups, giving their thoughts on what priorities should be moving forward, as well as ideas about finding efficiencies in spending.
Those comments will be put up on the district's website in the coming days.
Any who missed Tuesday's meeting is encouraged to call or email the district with their questions or suggestions.
