CC schools budget pegged at $10.4 million as parents sound off on supervisor’s comments

Admittedly sitting at a stalemate due to local funding, Charles City superintendent of schools Janet Crawley announced a proposed $10,427,378 budget for the 2014-15 school year.

Numbers were revealed during the school board’s Feb. 11 budget work session. The balanced budget is based on former Gov. Bob McDonnell’s figures and schools’ projected average daily membership (ADM) of 679 students.

Among monetary changes affecting the $10.4 million figure include an increase in Virginia Retirement System (VRS) of $103,718, a decrease in state projected revenue ($245,803), and a reduction in federal funds as grants have either been eliminated or expired ($483,302). The proposed budget also includes a local transfer to textbook funds ($66,378), local transfer to capital funds ($86,150), and Virginia Preschool funds reduced by $65,985.

Another factor playing a key role in future funding is the school requesting an additional $344,053 in local revenue. However, with county supervisors requesting money to be returned by the schools to the locality (see related story), that figure has been deemed as the overall shortfall projection.

“It’s tedious to put work in this, make cuts, and find out we will have to make more cuts,” said Crawley referencing the initial presentation.

Interim finance director Ray Watson advised board members that things are miniscule in regards to flexibility.

“You are literally balancing a budget on actual salaries and benefits,” said Watson.

“This budget is saying you can’t hire teachers with experience because it would have a major impact on the budget,” added Crawley.

School board members voiced comments, reflecting on figures presented.

“Requesting the $340,000 is futile and going to cause unnecessary conflict,” said board member Steve Fuhrmann. “We’re looking at a substantial reduction in the budget.”

“It seems it’s been more and more difficult working with this budget,” said at-large member Preston Adkins. “If they have to, keep my salary and I challenge the supervisors to do the same and cut their pay.”

District 2 representative Barbara Crawley could only muster a few words as she reviewed the figures.

“I got a serious case of heartburn and it’s all over this paper,” she said, holding up budgetary documents before dropping them on the table.

Not helping the school board’s budgeting process were comments presented by District 2 representative and Board of Supervisors’ chairman Bill Coada at a Jan. 28 meeting. There, Coada’s presentation said schools were overfunded and underachieving. And at the school board’s public hearing, many parents lashed out on the comments the District 2 supervisor said.

“I would like to reiterate that the responsibilities of the board of supervisors are to plan, develop and regulate growth, and to maintain current county operations and services,” said Rhonda Grooms, a 15-year resident of the county. “The school board’s responsibilities are to establish programs and procedures that will produce the best educational opportunities for our students as well as accomplish wise management of resources available to the district. In order to achieve any form of success, these two boards must collaborate with each other as a well-oiled machine.”

Grooms also said numbers presented by Coada were “a bogus ploy” and based from invalid research.

“Research of this caliber must be done in retrospect over a time period much larger than 43 and a half days,” she concluded.

Grooms’ daughter, Africa, who is a seventh-grade student at Charles City Middle School, spoke on her experiences and desires for the school system.

“We depend on extracurricular activities,” said the honor roll student. “We need technology updates, we don’t want to stand outside when it’s dark to catch the bus, we want teachers to have an increased salary and classes such as choir to return.

“Please listen to us and help us. We want our schools back!” she concluded.

LaTonya Williams commented about the possible consequences if the schools do not receive sufficient funds from the county.

“Children should be first, so why is there a hold up and when are we going to get the funds?” asked Williams. “I want the school board to ask supervisors why they are keeping the funds.

“Don’t make parents force their hand and go to another district to find the programs they need,” concluded Williams.

Peter Churrins, however, pushed for the consolidation of schools into one building and raises for teachers.

“We need to put more money in the classroom instead of administration,” he said. “The percent applied to the classroom is below the state average.

“Charles City schools have been in the top 10 in funding and in the bottom 15 percent of testing,” he continued. “Take a look at moving the elementary kids into the middle/high school building.

“You have to treat the best teachers and give them merit raises,” he concluded.

Elenora Robinson’s message voiced her stance for more community input.

“Parents need to come out to these meetings and take your schools back,” said Robinson. “Go tell parents to go to the board of supervisors’ meeting and save your schools!”

After closing public comments, school board members contributed their thoughts on all the input they’ve received.

“I want to challenge anybody to look at our budget and try to make a half-million dollar cut,” said District 3 representative Martha Harris. “You’re demanding us to cut and one of the first things we’re going to look at is JROTC.

“Then, we go back to look at the program and we realize how good it’s doing for the community,” she continued. “It takes both academics and extracurricular activities to make a well-rounded child and a well-rounded child is a great child.

“I suggest the people telling us to make the cuts to see them and let them make the suggestions,” Harris concluded.

Adkins commented on the attendance for that meeting, but continued to spread the word.

“Attendance will make changes happen and we want you to come out to every meeting as possible,” he said.

Superintendent Janet Crawley concluded the meeting with a few comments referencing the school’s accredited with warning status.

“I’m tired of hearing that we are a bad school system,” she said. “We are only accredited with warning in mathematics, and if that makes us a bad school, then there are 94 out of 132 schools that are just as bad as us.”

“Stop going around telling our kids are as bad as other schools,” Crawley concluded.