School Board discusses cuts

The Powhatan County School Board is dropping a request for equipment and jobs and considering reducing bus runs and contracting out custodial services as it looks for ways to slice nearly $3.4 million and balance next year's budget.

Superintendent Margaret S. Meara and School Board members outlined the possible cuts during a meeting with the Board of Supervisors on Monday night.

The system is considering a $43.1 million budget for fiscal 2010. This year's budget is $46 million.

Meara said the system is proposing $1.9 million in reductions through efforts such as not buying some books, reducing conferences and travel, and locking in the cost of heating oil and gas and diesel fuel. An additional $357,835 in cuts would come from personnel reductions by not replacing or filling some positions.

Meara said the system needs to find an additional $1 million to reach its goal and hopes to do so without losing any employees.

"We will do everything we can not to touch someone's job," she said.

Right now, school buses stop at every driveway, even in subdivisions. The system is looking at consolidating some stops, as well as selling modular buildings the system owns and abolishing the system's sick-leave bank. Should the school system contract out custodial services, it would request that the company that takes over retain the current employees, Meara said.

Meanwhile, Robert R. Cosby, chairman of the Board of Supervisors, said he does not expect measures being considered by area school systems, such as going to a four-day week and reducing salaries, to be necessary.

Late last month, Meara warned school employees that state and federal funding reductions could mean layoffs, but Cosby said he does not expect those steps, either.

The boards will meet again in a couple of weeks.

Contact Jamie C. Ruff at (434) 223-3678 or .