BOE continues to iron out budget details

Assistant superintendent for finance Ken Cato was asked to research how many school system employees who make under $20,000 are on the insurance plan and to report that number to the BOE at its meeting next Tuesday.

If the insurance costs are put into effect, it would save the system almost $420,000.

Board member Lynn Stevens said she would rather cut that than cut teachers.

A savings of $75,000 has also been found in energy costs by taking out teacher’s personal items such as lamps, microwaves, refrigerators, coffee pots, toaster ovens and radios from classrooms. A community refrigerator, possibly two, would be provided for teachers at the schools.

The closing of the Early Learning Center will save $750,000.

There had been talk of eliminating bus routes for students who lived anywhere from half a mile to 1.5 miles from their respective schools but that has been taken off the table.

Stevens said Tuesday she wanted it known she did not say that students should walk to school in order to prevent diabetes and obesity.

Fellow board member Rickey Bailey called her on that statement telling her she most certainly did say it.

Stevens said it should be up to parents to get their children to school.

Overall, the Barrow County School System is looking at cutting approximately $10 million from the overall budget from a year ago.

“When you cut that much out of the budget when a system has grown like ours, it makes me nervous,” Cato said.

Wehunt inquired how the system planned to handle maintenance and operations with that amount of cuts. She said there were air conditioning systems on the verge of “bottoming out on us.”

Jake Grant, assistant superintendent for facilities, said the system would handle those issues somehow.

Director of student services, Ken Greene, told the BOE Tuesday that the system has 413 students who are classified as homeless.

“That includes the traditional definition meaning those living on the streets or in tents,” Greene said. “It also covers those who are living with other family members for financial reasons. Those who can’t afford to live on their own. Families who do not choose to co-reside.”

In what was termed a “bit of good news,” the BOE was informed the JR ROTC program may be on the verge of receiving funding from the United States Army, which will be a savings area. Creel said there are more than 300 students enrolled for the program at both high schools for next year, making it one of the most popular programs offered.