A Lemont resident’s suggestion that the village consolidate its two school districts is not feasible, school officials said.

Lemont resident James Jandora made the recommendation June 24 to combine with Lemont High School District 210 at the Lemont-Bromberek Combined District 113A School Board meeting as a means to get District 113A back in the black.

“We have two superintendents controlling five schools,” Jandora said. “We’re in tough times. I challenge the board with this consideration. Cost containment is the obvious reason why. Let the people of Lemont decide if we can afford to have two boards with five schools.”

Tony Hamilton, spokesman for the district, said school districts often consider consolidation to either ensure fiscal savings or for curriculum articulation. But he said money would not be saved if District 210 and District 113A consolidated.

The two districts do not share the same geographic boundaries, a requirement for consolidation under the Illinois School Code. District 210’s boundaries encompass Argonne National Laboratories, which generates a significant amount of federal revenue for the high school each year, while District 113A’s boundaries do not include that area.

“It would be financially irresponsible for District 210 and its taxpaying constituents to redraw its boundaries and withdraw its claim to that land,” Hamilton said.

About seven years ago, District 210 completed a cost study regarding a consolidation with District 113A. A major expense determined in the study was the need to bring the salaries and benefits for District 113A’s teachers in line with those of District 210, a cost estimated to about $1.5 million at that time. The salaries would need to be brought in line because there could not be a great disparity in salary and benefits for the grade school and high school teachers within the theoretical district.

Hamilton said the main savings that people think of when suggesting consolidation is the elimination of a superintendent. But he said much of the savings would be offset by the need to hire an assistant superintendent to cover the high school’s administrative needs.

Members of the District 113A School Board’s Finance Committee are looking at other ways to shore up the budget.

Based on stagnant tax revenues and increased operating costs, officials said the district could face another year in the red that would bring its deficit to $2.8 million after the upcoming 2009-10 school year. Last year the district spent $1.5 million more than its $24 million budget. Officials anticipate revenues to increase by about 2 percent and expenditures by about 5 percent for 2009-10.

Some cost saving recommendations include eliminating noncore programs, charging for extracurricular activities, increasing building usage fees, looking at administrative positions that could be eliminated and increasing class sizes.

“If we increase class sizes, there would be reductions that would follow,” said board member Doherty, a member of the panel. “We could have 30 students in class across the board.”

Doherty said the Finance Committee will meet again in a few weeks.

“We’re making progress but we want to keep the progress moving and make it timely,” he said.