Minutes - 20090528 - Laserfiche WebLink

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He made reference to the $2.5 million in reductions that the school system is going to have to make and said that he attributes these to the reductions in local funding. He continued going through the packet of information. The second to the last page had information on the difference in funding if the Board chose to fund the schools at 48.4%. This would result in another$327,000 for CHCCS. The last page was the letter sent to the Board of County Commissioners officially informing that the school board has moved the arts wing to funded projects. He said that it is possible for the school system to redirect$130,000 of Title I money and $400,000 of IDEA funds legally. Commissioner Hemminger asked about the school district tax and any suggestions to change this. Lisa Stuckey said that, with the revaluation, the Board of County Commissioners has the authority to fund the district up to 23 cents. Commissioner Jacobs said that the consequence of losing funding is bad, but it should not be all on the County Commissioners. Commissioner Jacobs asked how CHCCS was with its fund balance and how much it has tried to be creative with what to do with the fund balance. Neil Pedersen said that the State has not put a hold on it and it is at 5%. Discussion ensued on the increase in class size by two students. OCS Board Chair Steve Halkiotis said that the trend now seems that N.C. is starting to go backwards with its schools. He said that he is shell shocked to see some of the recommendations coming out of Raleigh. He said that Superintendent Patrick Rhodes told him today that he received a "Mandatory Legislative Request" regarding the fund balance. One of the questions is, "How many months of operating expenditures does this amount represent? If all funding sources went away, how long could you operate on the fund balance alone?" He said that the OCS fund balance is approximately $1,049,000. The school system could only operate nine days if it had to depend on fund balance. He said that he is looking to the County Commissioners to help the children of Orange County. He said that this budget is going to fall on the backs of the populations that can least afford it. The at-risk populations are going to suffer. He said that he has asked about the stimulus money and he cannot get any answers. Superintendent Patrick Rhodes said that it is important to know that the Board of County Commissioners is the safety net for the employees and the at-risk children. He said that the State budget cuts will be devastating. For the OCS, they are looking at 11.3% reductions next year, or$4.4 million, and the following year 12.8% reductions, or$5.3 million. To break this down in human terms, this equates to a $33,000 reduction in at-risk funding; a $250,000 reduction in textbooks; larger class sizes; a loss of 30-40 teachers; less one-on-one help; loss of counselors and clerical support; loss of training funds; and a loss of transportation funding ($207,000). Regarding the supposed stimulus money, he thinks that the school system can capture back about 6.5 positions. He said that this is a bare bones budget and he has made a good faith effort to reduce expenditures on the local side. He urged the Board to go no lower than the Manager's Recommended Budget. Commissioner Jacobs asked if OCS has looked at whether year-round schools are cheaper or more expensive. Patrick Rhodes said that he has not looked at this, but there may be analyses out there. There are the same number of school days and the same number of teacher contract days. It is probably not much different. Commissioner Jacobs said that they are still operating schools with the same assumptions that they did in the 19th century. He said that he does want to cut money from the County budget and he does want to fund more for the schools, but no one could have imagined what the State is doing to public education in North Carolina.