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By Bob Weaver
Calhoun superintendent of schools Tim Woodward's reorganization of county school administrators linked to a reduction of the county's $1.8 million dollar deficit has become a contentious issue.
Some school employees are questioning what the reorganization has to do with deficit reduction.
Woodward has taken significant action to reduce the deficit with a $1.1 million plan that is spread over four or five years, although some of his proposals have met resistance.
Calhoun school's deficit is a serious matter, with declining enrollment, fewer dollars flowing from the state school formula and county voters declining to pass an operations levy twice.
The seriousness of the Calhoun problem was reflected in a media quote from state board member Dr. William White, "Wow, that's scary."
Dr. White said the deficit grew 85 percent from fiscal year 2012-13 to 2013-14, saying Calhoun has seen a growing deficit for four consecutive years, the longest streak of all 55 West Virginia counties.
While most county board members indicated they were unaware of the drastic deficit, the state auditors did not publically wave red flags.
Calhoun teachers and service personnel lost a $600 supplement given them in 1999 under better economic times, those supplements were taken away last year by order of the state when the $1.8 million deficit was discovered.
Many have now expressed frustration regarding what appears to be supplemental pay or pay raises for some administrators, indicating that some administrators will be getting more money under the deficit reduction plan.
The salaries for the newly created positions have not been released, although the supplement policy was placed for public comment by the school board, ranging from $2,000 to $9,100, with some of the supplements related to Calhoun Middle-High School principals.
The school system, in response to a public information request, clearly said that the supplements are not pay increases or a restoration of supplements, disputing an earlier Herald story that indicates some are getting pay raises.
"There are no pay increases proposed. These are newly created positions. No one has held these positions, therefore there are no pay increases for a job title," said the official response.
"Again, there are no pay increases proposed for county administrators and there is no statute that prevents us from paying salaries from local funding sources."
Earlier Woodward told the Hur Herald, regarding administrative salaries, "So that may be a personal raise for them, it is less money for the county to pay."
Supplements are paid from county funds, and have been considered additional pay to basic salaries.
But the actual increases, although denied, could be linked to the restoration of work days taken away from some administrators by the deficit reduction plan.
Woodward is saying that administrative changes could save up to $75,000, but said attorney fees regarding personnel changes have been invoiced for $11,500.
Some administrators who have lost their central office jobs have filed grievances.
School board president Steve Whited said, "The reorganization does reduce total positions, but with that, more responsibility is placed on those positions resulting from reorganization."
"Mr. Woodward stated that although there is a savings, yes some individuals may receive more pay, it is based on state and local policies...This is not a restoration of these particular supplements, they were never cut only adjusted due to days being cut for the particular professional positions," said Whited.
Board president Whited indicated board members are working diligently with the superintendent to restore the finances of the county school system.
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