Teachers receive three percent salary
boost
Supervisors give schools 0 percent local increase
Although the Amelia County
Public Schools had already cut their original local contribution increase from
the $4,969,731 advertised for the April 23 public hearing, the board of
supervisors cut a further $50,000 before adopting the FY 2008-09 school budget
Wednesday (April 30) night. The local school contribution will be the same as
the board granted for FY 2007-08.
The initial reduction stemmed from $75,338 less money to the
local school system funded by the final General Assembly action. This also
resulted in $32,794 less local money required for matching funds.
The school board had also reduced its budget $50,000 as the
supervisors had requested at the April 23 meeting. This left a local funding
request of $4,698,171 going into the April 30 meeting, which was the last day
for adopting a school budget according to state law.
Last week District 1 Supervisor Jim Bennett asked schools’
Superintendent David Gangel how much the supervisors appropriated for the
schools above that approved in the FY2007-08 budget during the year. Dr. Gangel
said that figure was a-round $100,000. None of the extra appropriations were
county money but reflected state and federal funding in the form of grants,
etc., he reminded the board.
District 2 Supervisor Weldon “Skip” Hall said the school’s
request seemed to be about a five percent increase over the FY 2007-08
budget.
Dr. Gangel said that was about right but without the
increase, “We would not be able to do what we wanted to do.” The schools had
already reduced the salary increase from four percent to three percent (with
step increases). The schools anticipate continued increases in fuel costs and
want to fund initiatives as well, he said.
On April 25 the schools discovered the anticipated VRS
increase would be “more favorable,” he said. This led to a savings of somewhat
more than $200,000 that could be funneled into other categories.
Mr. Hall noted the county was looking at three percent raises for all county
employees, including all constitutional officers’ employees. He moved the
schools’ budget be adopted at $18,212,658. Mr. Hall’s motion reduced the overall
school budget by a further $50,000 with the difference coming from county
funding.
The local total is the same amount the schools received from
the county in FY 2007-08 but is $866,797 more than the schools’ FY 2007-08
budget
District 4 Supervisor Kay Fletcher argued against the $50,000
cut, pointing out Dr. Gangel had already made, “a good faith effort,” by the
cuts he had made.
Board Chairman Frank Harris noted the county was still
uncertain about the overall budget and the economic future. The schools could
come back to the board and request additional appropriations if necessary, he
said.
“We worked very diligently on this budget,” District 4 school
board member Gary Lunsford said from the audience. For one thing, he was
concerned about the rising cost of fuel.
Mr. Hall said his motion was not against the school budget.
“We just don’t know where we are with the other budget.” He did not want to have
to pull any more money than necessary out of the county’s surplus. “We will be
conservative now and we can revisit (school funding) later,” he said.
“We have been responsive to your needs,” Chairman Harris
said. “That will not cease.”
Mrs. Fletcher said she believed the board would be responsive
to a request for future appropriations and also hated to use surplus funds. The
question is when the money would be available, she said.
Chairman Harris called for a vote and Mr. Hall’s motion passed four to one, with
Mrs. Fletcher casting the opposing vote.
The school board had been scheduled to meet Monday (May 5) to
reconcile the budget, but Dr. Gangel told The Monitor last week he would not be
able to attend that meeting and did not know when the school budget would be
reconciled. In that meeting, the school board voted to give the teachers only a
three percent salary increase, plus a step.
In other board action last week, the board approved Special
Entertainment Permits for the Chula Junction Bazaar and Flea Market two-year
celebration to be held May 17 and Union Baptist Church’s 2008 Youth Carnival to
be held at the Joe H. Paulette Recreation Park on June 21.
Before adjourning, the board voted to set a public hearing on
the FY 2008-09 budget for May 29.