CC schools may receive relief from returning $436,000 to county

If things turn out as favorably as Charles City Board of Supervisors’ chairman Bill Coada sees it, county schools may not have to give back as much money as first thought.

After supervisors unanimously approved a reduction of $223,346 in appropriations for May out of the school system’s budget during the board’s regular April 22 meeting, Coada spoke about the possibility that the aforementioned reduction may be the last.

“We’ve been looking every day for potential savings, and after a meeting with myself, [county administrator] Zach Trogdon, [superintendent of schools] Janet Crawley, and school board chairwoman Helen Payne-Jones, I hope this is the last time we take funds from the school,” said Coada.

According to the supervisors’ chairman, a meeting between the parties identified major needs for the school system to complete the FY 2013-14 year. Specifically, funds in operations and maintenance were concerns of the schools.

With information in tow, officials from the county side worked on finding additional funding for schools. The result, according to Coada, would be $113,000 to be returned to the schools.

“That’s what we’re hoping for, but I can’t make any promises that it will happen,” the chairman added.

Number crunching rendered the six-figure savings, largely in part of additional cuts made from the county government and unforeseen revenue.

County schools were asked to return $436,000 to the county in February due to a revenue shortfall spawned by Waste Management. The county is currently involved in a lawsuit with the corporation, but the impact was felt immediately by both county departments (reduced by one percent) and the school system. Schools have returned a total of $323,346 over a two-month span to cover the deficit to date.