Manatee Schools Could Pay Price of Storms
Posted on: Tuesday, 13 May 2008, 09:00 CDT
By Sylvia Lim, The Bradenton Herald, Fla.
May 13--BRADENTON -- Manatee County school children, parents, teachers and school employees had better start praying for a quiet hurricane season.
If Florida endures a bad blow or two, Manatee County schools could lose up to $9 million -- in addition to the $21 million the district has to cut out of its operating budget this year.
A school district lobbyist told the school board Monday night that the problem with the state education budget is that state legislators are still unsure of what they passed on to Gov. Charlie Crist earlier this month.
The state economy is expected to worsen, and that could further affect schools funding later this year.
Henry Boekhoff said lawmakers included a provision that gives the governor authority to dip into the state's rainy day fund in that eventuality. If the funds are used to pay storm damages, Manatee schools could lose $9 million in additional state funding to offset the revenue shortfall.
It's an election year, Boekhoff reminded board members, and legislators "don't like to come back" for special sessions.
Tim McGonegal, assistant superintendent, said the board will have $9.5 million in reserves next year, $1.5 million of which is set aside for potential budget shortfall.
Like all school districts in Florida, Manatee schools have to trim their budgets because of state sales tax shortfall.
School Board Chairwoman Barbara Harvey asked Boekhoff and his colleagues to reiterate that the budget problem was not caused by the local board.
"We can only control what we spend and we have no control over the budget," said School Board Member Harry Kinnan.
But earlier in the meeting, a teacher and a parent were both critical of the district's proposal to handle the cuts.
Jensina Gill, a second-grade teacher at Willis Elementary, came with 288 signed petitions from teachers and residents who are opposed to the 1 percent pay cut administrators were pitching.
There are no guarantees that there won't be layoffs, she said. That would only put undue burden on teachers.
Also, she said she does not think Superintendent Roger Dearing, who announced that he was seeking a job with the Florida High School Activities Association last week, should have a hand in deciding what to do with the budget.
"He doesn't really have our best interest in mind because he won't feel the effects," Gill said.
Randy Howard, a parent and the co-president of the Bayshore Elementary Parent-Teacher Organization, was more blunt. He chided the school board for Dearing's pay, who earns about $220,000 in salaries and compensation. Even if Dearing were to take the proposed 4 percent pay cut, it wouldn't affect him as it would teachers, he said.
"A $8,800 cut is like a gnat on a horse's butt," he said. "Teachers don't even make $50,000."
The board decided to schedule a workshop in the next three weeks to discuss recruiting a replacement for Dearing, said Margi Nanney, schools spokeswoman. Harvey was not in favor of it because Dearing has not officially resigned, and if he does, has to give a 90-day notice.
Last week, Dearing said he would be notified on June 12 if he is hired as the executive director of FHSAA.
In other business, the board approved:
--In a 3-1 vote, the district's code of student conduct handbook, a guide to students' rights. Provisions in the handbook allow school officials to question students in investigations. If students refused, they may be punished. Gause casted the dissenting vote. School Board Member Walter Miller was absent.
--Taking a $25 million loan to finance construction projects such as the central Bradenton elementary school, so the district could take advantage of lower interest rates.
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Source: The Bradenton Herald (Bradenton, Fla.)
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