Supervisors accept school budget cuts

Charles City’s Board of Supervisors has accepted budget cuts submitted by the county’s School Board, even though the reductions are less than the 5 percent decrease requested. Supervisors, however, are planning to meet with school officials to discuss how the remaining reductions can be made.

Supervisors accepted $155,000 in budget cuts submitted to the board by school Superintendent Janet Crawley during their Nov. 27 meeting. That leaves $160,000 to be found to match the 5 percent goal, which equates to $315,000.

In a letter to supervisors, Crawley detailed the cuts to date– $120,000 in instruction, $25,000 in transportation, and $5,000 each in the schools’ operation/maintenance and administration budget lines.

She wrote that the remaining school budget has no other areas that can be reduced. She also requested a meeting of both boards to discuss the matter.

Supervisor Gilbert Smith suggested that two representatives from county administration and the School Board meet concerning the matter. No date was set for the meeting.

In other business, supervisors approved the placing of donated portraits of George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, John Tyler, and William Henry Harrison in the county’s courthouse. The board also approved installation of a plaque honoring former circuit court clerk Iona Adkins, which is to be placed near the clerk’s office.

Supervisors, meanwhile, learned that last month the Commonwealth Transportation Board approved $3.1 million for building the Charles City portion of the Virginia Capital Trails project. The trail, being built along Route 5 from Richmond to Williamsburg, is a bicycle/pedestrian path.