More school cuts are coming

Tue, 12/16/2008 - 5:02pm
By: Ben Nelms

Employees urge Fayette BoE not to make them pay more for health benefits; number of teacher slots may be cut to meet budget

It really is the economy, and it is knocking at the door of the Fayette County School System.

Despite several million dollars in cost-cutting measures by the school system, and more on the way, board members will have to wrestle with what could be a projected $2.64 million revenue shortfall by the end of June 2009.

That $2.64 million shortfall will be a reality if economic conditions remain the same, Comptroller Laura Brock told board members Monday.

Beyond those cost-cutting measures, the board is considering an even larger number of ways to reduce expenditures. One of those could be cutting teacher slots through continued attrition or “other means.”

Superintendent John DeCotis said he would soon know where those numbers stand. He said a letter will be sent inquiring about teachers that planned to stay or leave for the next school year.

“We’ve always protected the classroom and now we’ve about cut everything else,” DeCotis said.

Still another potential for savings could come in the form of premium increases, or even elimination as a worst case scenario, of system-paid medical, dental, disability and life insurance.

The potential for premium increases surfaced several months ago and, in the face of a worsening economy, is still on the table.

Relating directly to that issue, the public comments portion of the meeting Monday was stacked with school system employees requesting that board members not take action that would have a negative financial impact on benefits.

Employees a few weeks ago ended the open enrollment period where they had to select the benefits they want to carry next year. Some indicated their choices might have been different if the board makes adjustments to the benefits package.

Employees said they were empathetic to the situation faced by the board, but asked that benefits not be included in their cost-cutting measures.

Board members continued with a lengthy discussion on the various issues relating to the broad topic of cost cutting and how the board could overcome the continuing deficit. During her comments, board Chair Terri Smith noted an individual economic reality being experienced by many people across Fayette County and America.

“It would hurt a lot to start paying your own life insurance, but it would hurt a lot more to lose your job,” Smith said.

The school system has made significant cuts, Comptroller Brock reported, but even those cannot offset the effects of a local and state economy that is showing no signs of improving.

Brock said local revenues are down, being tied primarily to property taxes, transfer taxes, intangible taxes and interest rates.

Additionally, the state is projecting further funding cuts in addition to the millions already made to Fayette County public education in recent years.

Reporting of cost-cutting measures implemented prior to the current budget year and continuing through the 2008-2009 school year, Operations Director Sam Sweat said the savings came to approximately $4.15 million.

Sweat said 78 positions have now been cut from the system, a savings of $3,660,000. Many of those cuts came prior to the beginning on the budget year in July.

The school system will save $195,000 later this month when 1,875 computers are returned to Dell, while another $150,000 is expected to be saved during the school year from energy conservation efforts at school system facilities throughout the county, Sweat said.

Sweat said implementing a four-day work week during the summer saved $40,000. He said closing schools during the weeks of July 4, spring break, winter break and Christmas saves $5,000 per day. Another cost-saving measure showed $15,470 in savings when bus routes were combined.

The total list of 2008-2009 savings totaled approximately $4,150,000. Additional savings through these and other efforts will continue into the 2009-2010 school year, Sweat said.

Responding to a comment by board member Janet Smola that the school system could do a better job of communicating information on cost cuts to employees, Sweat said that updates could be communicated using the system’s intranet capability.

A complete listing of the issues relating to the school system’s cost-cutting measures can be viewed under the Dec. 15 meeting agenda at www.fcboe.org.

login to post comments

Comment viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.
Submitted by mysteryman on Sun, 12/21/2008 - 9:30pm.

I guess we are to believe that the school under construction on sandy creek road with be mothballed upon completion due to economic conditions, with all of the alleged cuts deemed nessasary by the B.O.E Seems to me with all the tax increases in this county over the past few years, even with the current economic conditions.. the people in question must take us all for fools. With the millions of dollars already spent to build this new school that will apparently sit empty upon completion if these cuts take place, be more important than retaining the higest caliber of staff already in place at our existing schools.. seems to me some of the B.O.E need to go back to school themselves and learn how to count, oh and also read THE WRITING ON THE WALL NEXT TIME...GOD BLESS

jingle's picture
Submitted by jingle on Mon, 12/22/2008 - 7:49am.

When the taxpayers vote in a SPLOST,E-SPLOST or bond referendom. The school system is then required to use the monies as it had told the taxpayers it would. The school on Sandy Creek (Rivers Elementary) is being built by a bond referendum. Therefore, whether it opens for classes of not - had to be built! It was a foresight into the Rivers property (adjacent to the school) being developed. But the Commissioners of Fayette Co sent that developer packing!


sniffles5's picture
Submitted by sniffles5 on Thu, 12/18/2008 - 10:30am.

Buried in the official state audit of the Fayette County Board of Education is a possible reason for the shortfall, bad economy or not:

For the latest audit year available (2008, for the 2007 school year), the Board reported that from 2005 to 2007, the total (NOT AVERAGE) number of students grew by 29 (TWENTY NINE) students. That's basically 2 new classrooms full of students TOTAL.

During that time period however, guess how many NEW (i.e. not replacement) professional teaching slots were created and staffed?

NINETY ONE new positions were created. In other words, despite stagnant enrollment, the BOE hired 91 additional teachers.

And we wonder why they can't make do with a high millage rate, SPLOST and bond funding.

Is it too early to start a recall election?


Submitted by badco on Wed, 12/17/2008 - 4:23pm.

When they say schools are closed they aren't. There is something going on all the time at the schools, pick one. Is energy cheaper during the holidays?? Energy committee is just as efficient as our board.

Submitted by MacTheKnife on Wed, 12/17/2008 - 10:03am.

So, we have gone from an out of town personnel director to a bean counter making the policy (and killing the moral) for those teachers still willing to stay and battle the County Office, the NAACP, and the FCBOE in an attempt keep our system the best in the state.

That's just great Dr. DeCotis ... and what happened to the proposals of the "Cost Cutting Committee"?

It appears to me that Ms. Brock would like to simplify her job responsibilities at the expense of all of the good, hard working, well educated teachers of Fayette county - whom, by the way, are already the lowest paid in the metro area.
______________________________________________________

In a somewhat related note - investors need to consider paying the tax debt on the hundreds of homes (About 370) in foreclosure.

A 1.35 million dollar investment (much of which would go to the school system) puts you as a free and clear potential owner of more that 370 tax delinquent homes in Fayette county.

I have already made my foreclosure investments, have you?

_______________________________________________________

And now, a holiday note from your overpaid book-keeper:

Dear Teachers, thanks for pushing to help pass the SPLOST four days ago - and by the way, now that you have - and now that your open enrollment period is CLOSED, we are cutting your pay via your benefits even further. Thanks for making us number one!

Merry X-Mas, Sucker!

LB/JD

Submitted by heatjam on Tue, 12/16/2008 - 6:14pm.

Why, exactly, did we idiots, er I mean tax payers not only vote these board members back in office but give them more $$$ to work with?

Submitted by USArmybrat on Wed, 12/17/2008 - 10:57am.

Some of us, myself included, did not vote for them or the SPLOST. Government, no matter how much they take from you, will always want more.

Submitted by heatjam on Wed, 12/17/2008 - 12:17pm.

I didn't vote for any of them either or for the SPLOST. But enough of us taxpayers were duped!

We reap what we sow.

Cyclist's picture
Submitted by Cyclist on Tue, 12/16/2008 - 5:39pm.

could be worse. Take a look at the county to the East. They lost $23 million in state and local funding after they lost accreditation.

But there's HOPE! It appears they're going solicit President elect Obama for federal funding.

Story
-------------------------------------------
Caution - The Surgeon General has determined that constant blogging is an addiction that can cause a sedentary life style.


Submitted by Linda Wheatley on Tue, 12/16/2008 - 5:49pm.

raising the millage rate and Splost?
Was that all for nothing??

Comment viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.