Officials announce budget cuts

By Lynn Hotaling

Superintendent Mack McCary released information on the planned cuts last week.

"When you ask for 20 percent and get 7 percent, folks want answers," McCary said.

School officials had asked Jackson County Commissioners for a 20 percent increase in local funding for the fiscal year that began July 1; they received $4,635,617, a 7 percent increase.

That's half the amount school officials need to maintain the current level of services, McCary said. The school system had asked for an additional 14 percent to maintain last year's level of programs - 6 percent to cover increases in operating costs and 8 percent to cover a 35 percent increase in employee insurance and a 2 percent increase in employee benefits.

"The (requested) 14 percent increase was just 'treading water,'" McCary said. "But just like a family, we're tightening our belts."

School officials had also asked for a 6 percent increase to implement a teacher supplement.

To offset the 7 percent not funded (excluding the teacher supplement request), school officials will take $45,000 from state and federal funds to fund one-half of an office support position and one-half of a guidance position.

That $45,000 could have been used directly in the classroom or to hire a teacher assistant, said David Steinbicker, school finance officer, and its loss will result in a reduction in classroom flexibility/intervention funding, the superintendent said. An additional $45,000 to purchase vocational education equipment will be taken from capital outlay, McCary said, which could result in some maintenance delays.

Some $60,000 will be taken from fund balance, which will reduce the school system's "rainy day reserve" to the lowest amount feasible, McCary said.

Some $85,000 to $100,000 will have to be cut from $300,000 allocated for contract repairs and maintenance, which means some things won't get fixed and some maintenance will be performed less frequently, McCary said.

An additional $200,000 will be cut throughout the budget, McCary said.

Despite the shortfall in local funding, Jackson County's Board of Education last week (June 25) renewed several administrators' contracts that involve local funds.

Fairview Principal Sue Nations received a four-year extension on her contract. She will be paid $75,781 annually, with $6,889 from local funds (a $3,419 increase in the local supplement) and $68,892 from state funds.

Blue Ridge Principal Lib Balcerek received a two-year extension. Her annual salary is $70,581 of which $4,617 (a $1,017 increase) is from local funds and $65,964 is from state funds.

As reported last week, Scotts Creek Principal Wanda Fernandez received a $2,581 local supplement to her existing contract, bringing her total salary to $54,205.

Two Central Office administrators, Assistant Superintendent Nancy Sherrill and Vocational and Maintenance Director Arlin Middleton also received new contracts, but neither is paid from local funds.

Sherrill's contract was renewed for two years. She receives a total of $78,652 of which $54,663 is from state funds and $23,989 is from federal sources.

Middleton's four-year contract extension calls for him to be paid $72,312, all from state funds.

In other action June 25:

- Board members approved a revised attendance policy for Smoky Mountain High that reinstates a two-point grade incentive for perfect attendance that was removed a year ago. Restoring the extra points was the recommendation of his faculty, Principal Kenny Nicholson said.

The approved attendance policy also includes two no-penalty absences to allow juniors to make college visits.

- Board members approved a $15,000 contract with Sylva Clinical Associates for psychological services during the upcoming school year. The approved contract is for almost $20,000 less than a year ago. Assistant Superintendent Sherrill, who recommended approval, said the decrease was due to the fact the school system now has several school psychologists on staff.

- A planning calendar for the 2002-03 school year was approved. The tentative date for students to begin school is Aug. 8.

Board member Ali Laird-Large pointed out that the main reason school begins so early now is to allow SMHS students, who follow a 4x4 schedule, to complete the entire first semester before the Christmas vacation.

Under a 4x4, students complete four courses in the fall semester and then begin four new ones after the holidays.

- Board members approved a meeting schedule for the upcoming year. The Monday, July 9 meeting has been changed to an all-day work session Wednesday, July 18, at 9:30 a.m. at Grassy Creek, the private retreat of board member Mary Jane Dillard's family. The next regular meeting of the school board will be Monday, July 23, at 6 p.m. at the school system's Central Office.

Back to Archive: 07/05/01.