Rochester schools make several adjustments to cut $360g

Jul 9, 2010 — Foster's Daily Democrat

Jake O'Donnell

Jul. 9, 2010 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- ROCHESTER -- The school board approved $360,000 in cuts Thursday night to their fiscal year 2011 budget as mandated by the City Council last month.

The cuts include the following: tutoring, $28,500; summer school, $10,000; steps for custodians and maintenance staff, $9,500; fuel oil, $100,000; natural gas, $30,000; electricity, $30,000; transportation, $29,000; other professional educational services, $27,000, water and sewer, $5,000; workers' compensation, $6,000; legal, $5,000; and general supplies, books and equipment, $80,000.

The City Council had previously eliminated paving from the school department's capital improvement project fund in the total of $45,000, bringing the total cuts for the school year budget to $405,000.

The original school budget for fiscal year 2011 was $54,455,200 and has been reduced to $54,050,200 following the action of the school board Thursday.

Superintendent Mike Hopkins said once the City Council cut $360,000 from the budget, he got together with his administrative team and came up with reductions that could be made in "energy costs and other small items," but found he was still $80,000 short of the $360,000.

"We went to all the principals and directors and asked them where we could cut the rest of the money," said Hopkins. After consulting with them, $80,000 was removed from supplies, books and equipment. Hopkins said $20,000 of that will be taken from Spaulding High School.

At least one board member was extremely concerned over the removal of funds for heating, and what it could mean if next winter is more harsh than the most recent one.

"I think it's a very sad commentary we've come to this," said board member Julie Brown. "All I can say is that we should all pray we have an easy winter, because otherwise we are going to be in big, big trouble."

In response to Brown, board member Evelyn Logan cited the spending and tax cap passing by a "huge majority" earlier this year as evidence that while people are pinching pennies, the school department needs to do the same.

"They want us to be very careful with their money, and not spend it where we don't have to," said Logan. "That's what we're doing, and that's what we need to be doing."

Hopkins added that he was also nervous about the energy cuts and said that if the winter causes more demand for heat, they will have to take funds from elsewhere to meet their needs.

Hopkins said the reduction in tutoring from $160,000 in the approved budget to $131,500 in the revised budget keeps funding for tutoring same as it was for fiscal year 2010.

"We're comfortable with that reduction so we can continue at the same level where we've been," he said.

Discussion was held on the topic of saving a position cut in the original 2011 budget as part of a reduction in staff. In order for that position, a special education teacher at the McClelland School, to be saved, the board will be required come up with $70,000 in the current budget.

Hopkins said he was "not optimistic" that would be able to happen. The board took no action on the matter at the meeting, but will continue to search for ways to save that position.

"The special education children need all the extra help we can get," said Brown. "I would suggest that anybody that doesn't think that go see a classroom of special ed children and know what the problem is, and what we need to do to best service them... We've got to find a way."

"If that teacher is that important, I would ask the school look at administrators and support staff that don't directly teach those children and see where maybe they would make a cut somewhere that could adjust the budget," suggested board member Doris Gates.

Logan expressed confidence that the position could be saved.

"We've worked hard on this so far, and I think we can do it," she said.

This special education position was one of 12 positions that were part of the reduction in staff for the 2011 budget from earlier this year. Board member Caroline McCarely asked what those positions were, and Hopkins recalled they included four other special education staff members, four staff members at Spaulding, a position in unified arts at the middle school and another position that was switched from district to grant funding.

Newstex ID: KRTB-1268-46826236