Former 1st Ward Alderman Andy Small is bringing his experience to another governing body.

Last week, Small was appointed to fill a vacancy on the DeKalb District No. 428 School Board.

Small served on the Finance and Facilities Advisory Committee, which is an extension of the group involved in the three referendums, he said. After serving three months on the FFAC, Small was asked to co-chair a committee to examine remodeling issues of schools in TIF districts. Small also was involved with the partnership school.

When a spot on the board opened up, Small said he was encouraged to apply. He was appointed on Nov. 3.

“His personality just seemed to mesh very will with the board we have right now,” said school board secretary Holly Wallace.

As far as issues the board has to deal with, Small said redistricting is looming, and the board will need to start discussing it soon so the process can be complete for the 2004-’05 school year. He said it will take a lot of time to make sure redistricting is done right.

Small also said he would like to see a pre-annexation agreement reached with developers. A pre-annexation agreement is an accord between developers and the school board regarding the amount of children who will be brought in because of a new development.

With the school district, which already has capacity issues, the pre-annexation agreement, if reached, will allow the school board to recommend to city council the amount of children they will be comfortable taking on, Small said.

The long-term issue is what to do about another referendum, Small said. TIF districts and redistricting may ease some of the district’s woes, but it will not alleviate them completely.

Balancing the budget is another one of Small’s goals. He said the district, like most others in the state, is running at a deficit, and may have to consider outsourcing duties performed by janitors and others.

“I hope we don’t have to outsource,” Small said, adding that hiring outside companies could save the district money. “I would really like to keep the people that we have if we can.”

Small said his experience serving on city council taught him where to go when dealing with a particular issue, and how finances in the city work. The latter may help with the school district’s deficit.

Wallace said a knowledge of the city and having children in the district will help Small while serving on the board.

Small has other experience he thinks will add to his ability as well. He has served on the Operating Staff Council at NIU for 14 years. He said this has shown him examples of good management and has given him the opportunity to see how the council interacts with the NIU Board of Trustees.

Small said he felt both pride and humility when he was appointed.

“It’s a privilege to do community service and help out when you can, and it makes one feel privileged to be considered as someone who can help,” he said.

Small is one of five members of the board that are new this year. He said the fresh perspective from new members mixed with veteran leadership makes a good mix.

“I think the school district is on the right path now,” Small said. “I think there’s some tough decisions ahead, but I think we’re going to make sure that the children of our district are going to be taken care of to the best of our ability. The children of District 428 are in good hands.”