| By Bob Weaver
Calhoun schools is the only county that has a current deficit, but that deficit was reduced for the first time in five years, ever so slightly, said School Board President Steven Whited.
The deficit has been $1.8 million, announced in 2014.
Calhoun Superintendent of Schools Tim Woodward says the deficit has actually decreased by $100,000, despite rising costs, funding decreases, and no operational levy.
Whited said 31 of the 55 counties had losses from 2014 to 2015, with several getting close to the negative balance, indicating all schools systems are at risk with the current economic forecast for WV.
"Calhoun is making progress and doing so much with so little, one of few counties that does not have an operational levy. We will continue to chip away at this, but it's going to take a long time," Whited said.
Some financial help for the school system could be on the way if Columbia Pipeline constructs a $100 million compressor station in a remote area of the county.
Calhoun Commission president Chip Westfall said the commission is working toward using part of such tax receipts from the station to be applied directly to the $1.8 million deficit, not for any other school funding needs.
Whited said the issue of the removal of supplement pay for teachers and service personnel has essentially been resolved, with 16 exceptions.
He said the legal conflict over the removal of supplement pay was based on the grievance board basically saying that the WV Board of Education had no right in mandating the reduction of the supplements.
Further, the WV Department of Education has shown little interest in restoring the 1,400 enrollment rule with the state's school funding formula, which would help a few low-populated counties whose student enrollment has dropped below that number.
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