Response to school budget plan muted

POWHATAN -- Audience quiet at Powhatan schools' budget hearing

Only one person spoke out of the approximately 80 people attending this week's hearing on Powhatan County's school budget.

That speaker -- Shan Stodter, a county teacher -- was passing on a suggestion she picked up from National Public Radio about a school system in which employees gave up one day's salary to save budget money.

As they have for much of the month, school officials Tuesday night outlined possible cuts, but they continued to warn that until the state provides solid figures, the budget will remain uncertain.

The School Board wants to give its budget to the Board of Supervisors by March 1. School officials are struggling to slice $3.3 million from the $43.1 million budget for next year. Thus far they have outlined $2.3 million in cuts.

Board members said during a workshop last week that they would rather make an across-the-board salary reduction than cut jobs. School officials have said they expect 12 jobs to be lost through attrition.

After the meeting, some employees said there was no reason to speak during the public comment period.

"Right now we don't know what to speak on," said 30-year teacher Peggy Lankenau. "At this point they are not really telling us where we are going."

Denise Eyles, who has taught with the system for 13 years, agreed. "There was no sense in going up there and saying, 'We want this' and, 'We want that' when we don't know," she said.

Eyles said the lack of speakers also showed that people support what the board is doing.

To create savings, the system is considering measures such as raising the driving-education fee, rental fees for use of school facilities and lunch prices, and contracting out some custodial work.

The school system also will stop transporting children across attendance lines to day care -- a measure that will save on transportation cost.

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