| By Bob Weaver
Over budget spending by the Calhoun school system resulting in a $800,000 deficit, mostly related to a declining school enrollment with the state funding formula, is coming to a head.
Superintendent of Schools Tim Woodward said, "We looking at everything that doesn't affect student instruction," saying the belt-tightening during an emergency meeting of the school board Monday was one of several difficult decisions being made.
Board president Steve Whited said, "While student enrollment has continued to decline, affecting the money we get to operate the system, minimum staffing requirements and operating costs still exist."
The latest measure in cost reduction Monday was approving a mandated measure that affected 33 system employees, a reduction of just over $100,000 in costs associated with employee's who employment days are beyond 200 days annually.
Superintendent Woodward said those 33 employees, from administrators to custodians, most actually got cut between five to ten days. "Unfortunately, the biggest losers were the schools secretaries, who were cut 30 days," he said.
Monday's action was the latest in a series of cost-cutting measures,
with another nearly $300,000 reduction involving changes and reductions in a Reduction in Force (RIF) submission, and another $100,000 with the removal of the $600 supplement supplement which both teachers and service personnel had received for many years.
Woodward acknowledged the cutback Monday during an emergency meeting resulted in a contentious reaction, with a 3-2 board vote, Harris and Wilson dissenting.
Board member Larry Harris said, "I have no problem with making difficult decisions that are in the best interest of our schools, but we did not have to decide on the state's mandate at our meeting on Monday," indicting more time should have been given to allow those affected to attend the meeting. He said the final deadline on the mandate was July 30, "No one was allowed to say anything."
Harris said, "The people of our county elected me, not some bureaucrat in Charleston. If the state is going to dictate to us, then let them take over and show us how it is done."
"I would like to know if every county with a deficit budget is being required to do the same thing as Calhoun. I also wanted our two new board members to be a part of the decision process," Harris said.
Superintendent Woodward told the Hur Herald that he was responsible for pushing the mandate toward a quick resolution after receiving a letter regarding the matter Monday.
School board president Steve Whited said he was disappointed with the state's latest mandate.
"We believe that the WVDE should see
the vast improvement and dedicated work on the finance issues that have taken place over the past several months, and more especially this past
month, and it is frustrating that we pour ourselves into this, only to be
mandated to do something," he said.
Woodward said they looking at a number of additional cutbacks that must be made to correct the deficit:
- All overtime costs by school employees being approved in advance by superintendent.
- Travel costs for school employees, in and out of county.
- After-school activity bus services.
- Charging for the use of county school buildings for outside group activities.
- Cutting contract bus costs, where individuals drive students to catch school buses.
- New methods and policies on how to reduce utilities on school buildings, when students are not present.
- Not buying new school buses this fiscal year.
"We are certainly looking at putting a school operating levy on the fall ballot," Woodward concluded.
Read more about Calhoun School's financial crunch:
See CALHOUN SCHOOL BOARD CONTINUES MAJOR CUTS - Limits Employee Pay To 200 Days Annually, 33 Employees Affected, Latest Cut Mandated By State
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