WJCC School Board Worries Time is Tight to Analyze Spending

By Amber Lester Wednesday, March 17, 2010

The Williamsburg-James City County School Board members would like to analyze the division’s spending before making cuts, but might not have enough time under a tight deadline.

That was the message repeated by the members when they met Tuesday for a budget work session. The board received Superintendent Gary Mathews’ proposed budget on March 10, then received a revised version Monday afternoon. They are tasked with approving a budget by April 1 to present to the City Council and Board of Supervisors.

In Mathews’ first budget, $6.5 million was trimmed, including reductions in state and local funding and increases in costs. The original budget also eliminated 45 full-time and part-time positions, along with cuts to summer school and reductions in tuition assistance.

When the General Assembly approved its joint budget on Sunday, it reduced the Virginia Retirement System rates, saving WJCC approximately $2,004,702. On Monday, Mathews sent an e-mail recommending the restoration of 17 full-time teacher positions and nine full-time teacher assistant positions, along with funding for summer school and tuition assistance. Per the board’s request, he added the position of an executive director of human resources, a role currently filled by Assistant Superintendent of Finance Scott Burckbuchler.

The board members appreciated the division’s ability to restore some of the planned cuts, but several members expressed concern about the looming deadline. Jim Kelly said it was hard to discuss the budget since they only received it the night before.

“I hope we’ll thoroughly vet this,” he said. “We only got the numbers in the last 24 hours.” He added the board might want to keep an eye on what they really want to do in the future, even as they approve adding $2 million back into the budget.

Fellow member Joe Fuentes agreed, saying he was disappointed the board didn’t have more input in the budget’s development. “I’m happy things are going in a positive direction,” he said. “But is that really where we want money to go?”

Elise Emanuel, who has served on the VRS board, said she had to worry about the effect the reduced rates will have on retirement. “We’re bailed out on the backs of future retirees because the Commonwealth’s obligation doesn’t change,” she said. “We’ll have to have a very good stock market for people to retire. It’s better off for the school board, but it’s not the best way to get money.”

The board members asked for clarifications regarding class sizes at the high school level and what will be lost when two custodian positions are eliminated.

Emanuel wondered how the school district can control class sizes in high schools, where certain subjects demand smaller class sizes compared to others. Executive Director for Secondary Instruction Dianna Lindsay said the administration doesn’t cap class sizes, but does adjust as necessary. For example, chemistry classes cannot exceed certain class sizes to maintain safety; Advanced Placement classes, however, can exceed a typical class size ratio of 25 students to one teacher. Lindsay said the largest class could have 30 students.

Denise Koch wondered what will happen when the division loses two custodians. Assistant Superintendent of Operations Bob Becker said it will certainly have an impact, especially as the division opens two new schools, but will still be feasible.

“But this represents the bottom line,” he said. “We understand the business of the school division is education, but that’s the bottom.”

The board finished the meeting by going into closed session for a little more than an hour to discuss personnel affected by the budget cuts.

Earlier in the night, citizens shared their suggestions and reactions to the budget in a public hearing. Most speakers said they would have advocated for teaching positions and at-risk funding, but were happy to see many cuts restored to the budget.

John Whitley suggested the board add an HR director and merge the positions of the executive director of elementary education and executive director of secondary education, a suggestion Fuentes said he’d be willing to consider.

Bill Bryant, representing the Citizens for Education, encouraged the board to ask the board of supervisors and city council for authorization to transfer capital improvement funds to the operating budget. “It can be done. York County has done it, and will probably do it again,” he said. “It is our sense that if you ask the governing bodies to do this, they will seriously consider it. At all times, but especially in times like these, human beings are more precious than bricks and mortar."