County schools budget shows more reductions

Published 7:24 am Thursday, June 23, 2011

Cuts to school bus service, furlough days and moving one school to another building are just a few of the cost-cutting measures Whitfield Board of Education members approved at a called meeting Wednesday morning in which they approved the general budget.

The budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1 projects $94.08 million in expenses and $89.07 million in revenue. The difference is being made up from the fund balance, money the school system keeps on hand for unexpected expenses and to make payroll during the fall and early winter months when revenues are typically at their lowest.

The current fiscal year’s amended budget shows expenditures of $92.2 million and revenues of $95.3 million.

The upcoming budget assumes the property tax rate remains at $14.76 per $1,000 of assessed property value and that no one is pushed out of a job in the school system through a reduction in force. It also takes into account a cost savings of about $90,000 by closing the Airport Road building where Phoenix High School has been located and moving that school inside the Whitfield Career Academy and furlough days for teachers as the school calendar is reduced from 180 to 175 days. It also includes the elimination of an estimated five to six bus routes as the district cuts back on door-to-door service.

While the school system hasn’t funded school nurses for at least a year, the state funding they use is dropping, meaning there will be fewer people to provide care.

“Funding decreases during the past several years have limited the level of service the health department is able to provide in our schools,” said school system spokesman Eric Beavers. “The state allocated $216,824 for nurse services during the 2010-11 school year. Funding for next year is set at $205,687. We invest 100 percent of that funding with the health department to provide as much service as possible.

“Last year, nurses worked in our elementary and middle schools. In the fall, nurses will serve elementary students one to two days a week depending on student population in each school. Nurses will not serve middle or high school students.”

Only one person spoke during the public input session of the meeting. Dalton resident Mary Thelma Norris said the school system should appoint a budget committee next week so local residents would be more involved in the budget process and understand how decisions are made.

“I’m concerned that the decisions are made privately,” she said.

The board officially advertised the budget for two weeks, although a tentative budget was publicly discussed for about a month. Some budget cuts were widely discussed, while others were not brought up during public meetings. Community members who had budget suggestions were asked in February to submit their thoughts through an online survey.