A $7.4 million general education budget for the Traverse Bay Area Intermediate School District (ISD) was supported by the Glen Lake Board of Education along with a local candidate for the TBAISD's governing board.

Glen Lake’s school board voted 6-0 Monday, with David Harris absent, to support the proposed TBAISD’s $7,430,052 budget plan for the 2007-08 school year. It is one of three budgets adopted by the TBAISD and the only spending plan on which local districts have a say. Vocational and special education budgets, which make up 85 percent of TBAISD expenditures, are not open to board comment.

Board members gave a nod of approval to the proposed spending plan after questioning TBAISD board efforts to cut administrative costs and its hefty fund balances in all three of its budgets. The organization’s general education fund balance is estimated to be $2.6 million when the current fiscal year concludes June 30.

TBAISD Superintendent Michael Hill, a former Glen Lake High School principal, explained that the organization’s fund balances are in keeping with six comparable districts throughout the state.

He cited the fund balance in the Eastern Upper Peninsula ISD, which equals about 45 percent of the general education budget.

“We can’t raise revenue like local districts,” Hill said, adding that capital improvements must be funded through cash reserves since ISD’s are not allowed to use traditional funding mechanisms, such as bonding.

In related TBAISD business, Maynard “Rink” Wheeler, who just won a third term on the Leland Board of Education, introduced himself to the board and asked for its support in the upcoming board election.

Wheeler, a former Coca-Cola executive, has in the past called for greater accountability to local districts and more support in the area of special education.

“The ISD needs to provide more direct support for special education and other services,” Wheeler said. “They can help us and do have the funds to do this.”

Wheeler is one of two candidates vying for a partial term on the TBAISD Board of Education. Also seeking election to the 2-year term is former Northport school board member James Scherrer.

Three other candidates from Antrim, Kalkaska and Grand Traverse counties are running unopposed for 6-year seats.

Glen Lake’s board voted unanimously to direct Trustee Jeff Smith to attend the June 4 meeting of the 5-county TBAISD and cast its ballot for Wheeler.

In other business during the 2 1/2-hour monthly meeting, the school board:

• Approved the graduation list for the Class of 2007 which numbers 58;

• Learned that high school basketball coach Keith Shimek submitted his resignation Friday;

• Approved a new economics course for the 2007-08 school year to be taught by Kris Herman; and

• Agreed to opt out of the state’s School of Choice program and participate in the procedure administered through the TBAISD.