Staff reductions loom
as district faces $1.2 million deficit
By Scott Mitchell Johnson
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — SAD 1 administrators have been hard at work figuring out how to deal with a projected $1.2 million deficit in the 2013-14 budget as a result of declining student enrollment and a large decrease in state aid.
At last Wednesday night’s board meeting, Superintendent Gehrig Johnson presented a proposal to reduce staff costs by $400,000 in an effort to partially close the deficit gap.
“We’ve been in contact with municipal leaders of our five communities to explain the situation. We know that even with massive staff reductions we’re still looking at a $500,000 deficit,” he said. “We don’t have the final numbers from the state, but we expect to get the printout within the next couple of weeks.
“After cutting 38 positions over the last five years and lowering the school mill rate from 10.5 to 9.5 over that span, we see no light at the end of the tunnel,” said Johnson. “Our projected budget will remain at approximately $23 million for the seventh year in a row. With 78 percent of our budget invested in employees, large reductions in state aid means staff reductions are inevitable. I think most people understand the situation we are in. No one likes it, but we understand it and we’ll deal with it.”
Proposed reductions for 2013-14 include:
• School health coordinator ($33,000).
• At Pine Street Elementary School, the reduction of one grade 1 teacher ($50,000).
• At Zippel Elementary School, the reduction of one grade 3 teacher ($50,000) and one grade 5 teacher ($50,000). One grade 4 teacher will be added ($50,000).
• At Mapleton Elementary School, the elimination of one grade 5 teacher ($50,000) and a half-time pre-kindergarten teacher ($25,000). A half-time kindergarten teacher will be added ($25,000).
• At Presque Isle Middle School, the elimination of a half-time math position ($25,000).
• At Presque Isle High School, the reduction of one English position ($50,000).
• Districtwide, the elimination of six athletic positions for a savings of $15,000.
• Custodians/transportation ($112,000).
“We’re proposing the elimination of two custodian positions and combining bus runs throughout the district,” Johnson said. “That would mean fewer runs, more students on some buses, and slightly longer bus rides each day for some students.”
• Regarding stipend positions for district committees, Johnson is proposing to reduce both the number of committees, as well as the membership on the committees for a savings of $15,000.
“We have a number of committees that work on district improvement initiatives including wellness, staff development and certification committees,” said Johnson. “I’m suggesting that we reduce the number of committees, and for the committees that do continue, reducing the membership and try to do the work through the use of volunteers.
“When taken all together, these proposed reductions will save about $400,000,” he said, “and we’re working on cutting $150,000 more in the coming weeks. We’ll be looking at all areas of the budget.”
Johnson said keeping the class size within an acceptable range is still a priority.
“As our financial problems extend for the fifth year in a row, we may not be able to find a place for displaced employees through attrition,” he said. “There will be some people that will have to wait for future openings to return to work.”
Also at the Feb. 13 meeting, directors:
• Hired Terence Harper as the new drafting teacher at the Presque Isle Regional Career and Technical Center.
• Approved the 2013-14 school calendar.
“It’s very similar to this year’s calendar,” said Johnson. “One notable change includes the addition of one student day, from 175 days to 176. We will eliminate one staff development day, reducing staff development days from six to five days.”
The next regular SAD 1 meeting will be held Wednesday, March 13, 5:30 p.m. at Presque Isle Middle School.
