NK school, county budgets far apart despite job cuts

Job cuts in New Kent schools stand at 36½, but that’s just for now. If a $460,000 discrepancy in county money cannot be ironed out, another 10½ positions could be on the chopping block.

County School Board members voted 5-0 on Monday to approve a $26.1 million budget for the 2009-10 fiscal year that begins July 1. The figure is about $1 million less than the current year’s $27.1 million budget.

School officials built their budget on $630,000 in fewer local dollars. But county officials place the decrease $460,000 higher at $1,090,000.

If the county figure holds firm, schools could be faced with eliminating another four teaching posts, one School Resource Officer, and two each in the secretary, teacher aide, and clinic aide categories. After school activity buses may also be eliminated.

“If we have to cut other positions, it will take us out of compliance with state Standards of Quality,” associate superintendent Ed Smith told the sparse crowd gathered for Monday’s budget public hearing in the high school auditorium.

Already, employee casualties include four teachers (all in special education, but not identified by school), nine teacher aides, two bus drivers, one elementary secretary, half of one SRO position, and the clerk of the works post.

School construction projects are complete, thus the clerk of the works is no longer needed. The elementary secretary position is vacant and will not be filled. School officials, meanwhile, are hoping the sheriff’s office can help restore the half SRO post by splitting cost with schools.

Earlier, school officials announced plans to outsource custodial work next year to a private firm at an annual savings of $175,000. The schools’ 18-member custodial staff is to be hired by the firm on a four-month trial basis.

School officials have no plans to fill the associate superintendent post being vacated by Rick Richardson when he replaces retiring superintendent Roy Geiger on July 1.

All budget and employee cuts are aimed at eliminating a $2.6 million shortfall that includes a $580,000 hike in employee health insurance premiums and a $500,000 decrease in state money. New Kent received some relief with arrival of $1,048,000 in federal stimulus dollars. To make up the remaining difference of almost $1.6 million, schools have trimmed personnel along with furniture and supply purchases and state lottery money spending.

School board chairman Joe Yates said the unusual 12 noon timing for Monday’s public hearing was aimed at enabling school staff to attend and beating the state’s April 1 deadline for school systems to approve budgets.

Just over a dozen county residents and teachers attended, and comment centered mostly on the SRO situation. Several speakers urged the board to retain the system’s two officers, one stationed at the high school and the other at the middle school.

Quinton resident Jim Squares, a sheriff’s deputy, said one SRO will not work and would leave schools unprotected.

“The problem is not the kids in school. The problem is keeping people out of the schools,” he said. “Leaving the schools unprotected is not sensible in my opinion. There are 13 registered sex offenders living within the area of the schools.”

“It’s ludicrous to think that one officer can handle all the schools,” New Kent resident Teresa Holley told the board.

Candace Berry, a Lanexa resident, said three of the four county schools’ close proximity to the sheriff’s office doesn’t solve the problem.

“It doesn’t always mean personnel are there,” she said. “They could be out handling other matters.”

She added that she and other parents are considering a home-schooling option for their children if the SRO post is eliminated.

Yates, meanwhile, told those gathered that the budget process has been anything but fun and is not over. County Board of Supervisors members are holding a series of work sessions over the next two weeks to build an overall county budget. Schools could be severely impacted if forced to make further cuts, he said.

“New Kent finances do not look good,” he said. “Even after we pass this budget, we’ll have to come back and amend it depending on what the county does, and the county is in a bad spot.

“We’ve worked hard and long and lost sleep,” he said. “We don’t want to cut anything, believe me, but that’s just a pipe dream.”