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Schools dip into reserves to cover cuts
By BARBARA BEHRENDT, Times Staff Writer INVERNESS -- Siphoning the majority from reserves and finding additional dollars in monies rolled over from various funds ranging from technology to transportation salaries, the School Board this week agreed to slash $2.9-million from its budget. The cuts were necessary because the district received less state money, and fewer students, than expected. The bottom line: no direct effect on classrooms or services. But the bottom line for School Board members was different: They asked a series of questions about why the cuts were so easy and where the school system should go from here with its finances. "We call this a budget cut, but in essence $2-million of this is savings," said board member Patience Nave. "We've not cut our budget. We've taken out of our very comfortable savings account." She urged district officials to find other expenses that could be cut in the budget in the future. "I think our reserves have been exorbitant in the past," said board member Carol Snyder, who said more of the district's monies should have been spent on programs and personnel instead of being stockpiled. But others said that the cushion was needed for an emergency and that this year's budget crisis was such an emergency. "This district has gone through some pretty up-and-down types of financial situations," said finance director Sam Hurst. "I don't think it (the high reserve) was an overreaction." Board chairwoman Pat Deutschman said that the reserves had "done their job" in time of crisis. But she added: "I agree that we still need to make the effort to reduce expenses and find a way to give our staff the salaries they deserve." Superintendent David Hickey explained that he had planned dollars for salary increases before the Sept. 11 attacks. Those attacks and the subsequent tourism downturn contributed to declining tax collections statewide. Less revenue meant less money from the state. The original expense cuts were accomplished by transferring some salary costs to another revenue source and trimming budgets of various district departments. "This superintendent still has personnel goals. People are still a priority in this district. But sometimes things happen," Hickey said. About two-thirds of the shortfall will be countered by dipping into reserves. Some money was specifically set aside in case the student population wasn't as high as predicted as it was this year. The district also had set aside too many dollars to provide retiring employees the compensation they were due in unused sick time. The district also was able to trim salaries in transportation and teaching positions that were not expected to be filled, cut a program to put student records on microfiche and absorb technology funds rolled over from last year. Nave questioned how the district could cut $350,000 in technology money rolled over from last year and not affect classrooms. She asked how so much money could be in that fund. Hurst said that during the last few years as the district has spent capital money for technology, general fund money accumulated. Capital dollars can be spent on buildings and some equipment; general dollars go toward personnel costs and other expenses. Another concern voiced by Nave was that too much was being taken from the reserves, money the district couldn't afford to lose. But Hurst and Hickey said the reserves must be examined using real information about what is being spent. If they must be increased in the future, they will be increased. At the conclusion of the board meeting, which took place Tuesday, board members met with their staff behind closed doors to discuss the next phase of the budget: employee pay raises. Negotiations have been suspended since last spring. Last week, the executive director of the Citrus County Education Association, Sandra LaGarde, sent Hickey a letter seeking several meeting dates to conclude contract negotiations for teachers, some support and clerical workers for the current school year and to begin talks for 2002-03. Meetings with CCEA and the Teamsters Union, which represent the district's blue collar workers, are expected to resume soon. In other action: The board accepted a feasibility study for expansion at Homosassa Elementary School which includes construction of a new cafeteria and a new media center. Several options to expand the small school have been discussed during the past year. Among the options: razing and rebuilding the facility. But community support for the school has been great and architects instead focused on how to make the current facility larger. The next step would be an actual design for the expansions, which are expected to cost $3.3-million. The expansion already is listed on the district's proposed long-range building plan. The board approved the school calendar for 2002-03. School will start for teachers on Aug. 5, with the first day for students on Aug. 12. Students' Christmas vacation will run from Dec. 23 through Jan. 6 and the last day of school for students will be May 29.
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