ROTC, music programs dodge final Charles City school budget cuts

Deferring $37,506 in textbook funds, transferring one bus driver to the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) program, and making a high school assistant principal’s position part-time and combining it with a part-time administrative services spot are among key moves that helped Charles City’s School Board reduce its budget for FY2013-14 at its April 30 work session.

Board members had been tasked with cutting $221,621 from the FY2013-14 budget. After finding savings by reducing technology and maintenance equipment, pest control contract renegotiations, and benefit savings in areas of in-school suspension and an intervention specialist, board members reduced the deficit to $48,168 after deferring textbook funds.

Transferring the bus driver ($15,250) and combining the assistant principal/administrative services position ($25,000) left the balance remaining just under $8,000. That amount could be recouped through new hires, according to superintendent of schools Janet Crawley.

After agreeing on cuts, a vote to amend the budget to $10,813,691 met with approval from all five board members.

Several programs faced elimination prior to the $138,075 in the aforementioned savings. Charles City’s JROTC program survived another year following serious debate on its $119,000 cost to maintain. Other areas considered but not implemented included combining guidance positions at the middle and high school, eliminating elementary school music, and replacing a nurse with a nursing assistant.

Throughout the 45-minute meeting, debate between board members on options for savings arose before they settled on their choices. Afterwards, board chairwoman Barbara Crawley’s words summed up the process.

“I’m glad we didn’t have to cut further than we had to,” she said.

That almost wasn’t the case.

At an April 25 budget work session, interim finance director David Papenfuse expressed displeasure over what he viewed as unprofessional behavior on the part of county supervisors with regards to financial support and understanding of the school board’s situation.

“There has been no communication back with the school district,” he said. “We never heard back from the county administrator any further [after initial talks].

“We get a notice today [April 25] from the county administrator that we have funds for textbooks this year and now they want to take it from us without fully understanding it,” complained the financial advisor. “Somebody is working behind the scenes and knows how this is happening. They didn’t understand the textbook fund and all they had to do was pick up the phone and make one call, and they didn’t do that.”

Papenfuse explained textbook funds from this year’s budget are being applied to end of the year purchases of books and consumables. Also, $86,150 designated for HVAC repair will now come out of the school’s regular fund, not capital expenditures.

“Anybody in Finance 101 knows that you don’t put a capital expenditure in a regular fund when it is a one-time expense,” he continued. “Your budget is in shambles to begin with.”

Chairwoman Crawley also expressed dismay over county schools suffering from cuts.

“It’s unfair to this board, county, teachers, and kids,” she passionately said. “It was plain as day what we needed when I presented our budget to them.”

“Until now, you all have done more with less,” added Papenfuse, speaking on tasks assigned to central office workers due to understaffing. “Now, you will be doing lesser with lesser.”

Superintendent of schools Janet Crawley’s frustration summarized most of the dialogue and her feelings toward treatment of schools.

“I’m surprised they can sit on their side and say ‘we don’t need that,’” said the superintendent. “The school system seems to be becoming the least important in the county.”

The superintendent and Papenfuse elaborated on textbook funds and HVAC costs being removed from the school’s general fund. Janet Crawley followed by passing out a list of recommended cuts and savings from each.

“There’s a lot of heartburn here,” said Barbara Crawley. “I depend on Dr. Crawley to know what we need to cut.”

School board members commented on the list, pointing out preferences and continuing to express displeasure over the situation.

“The board [of supervisors] has $12,000 for travel for the county administrator and themselves,” said District 3 representative Martha Harris.

“Add $3,000 and there is our nurse,” she added, speaking on one of the options to replace a nurse with a nursing assistant.

“I prefer not to eliminate the music program,” said at-large member Steve Fuhrmann, recognizing the elementary school music program. “I am not in favor of eliminating anything involving taking a teacher out the classroom.”

Papenfuse’s final comments once again pointed to the $200,000 loss by schools.

“They hid that $200,000 from the school,” he said, pointing to the overall county budget that increased by $600,000. “No other county budget was cut but you all. The problem has been passed on to you all.”