BARBERTON: School officials say layoffs are inevitable next school year to help meet financial obligations.
The Barberton district faces a $3 million deficit by the end of the 2012-13 school year. Treasurer Ryan Pendleton blames declining revenue on state cuts and lower property values.
“The layoffs should come to no surprise to anyone,” interim Superintendent Patti Cleary said Monday at the Barberton Board of Education meeting. “It’s what we knew we would have to do if the levy didn’t pass just to get us through the next school year.”
An 8.74-mill levy failed at the polls in November. It would have generated $3.5 million annually and cost the owner of a $100,000 home about $268 a year.
Cleary said the preliminary count of layoffs includes 32 teaching positions, four administrators, administrative clerical position and four maintenance workers.
Officials also are looking at cutting transportation by $250,000 by limiting bus service to students who live two miles away and by trimming after-school programs by $100,000.
“These are just preliminary numbers” Cleary said. “The board just started looking at it.”
She said school officials will be getting feedback from the community and will be able to adjust numbers.
“We’re not going to ax all the extracurricular activities, but cut around the edges,” Cleary said. “We will keep teams and maybe cut back on some of the assistant coaches. Last year we had a lot of volunteer coaches to help out with the programs.”
The staff was cut from 537 to 506 last year amid $2 million in cuts from the budget.
Pendleton said all areas have shared in the reduction. Teachers and administrators saved the district a huge amount through concessions: a three-year pay freeze, no step increases and paying more in premiums for health care.
“It was bad last year, and it seems to be getting worse,” Cleary said. “We are doing a little more with less.”
Marilyn Miller can be reached at 330-996-3098 or mmiller@thebeaconjournal.com.
