School Board Representatives Meet With Members of Board of Supervisors
March 9, 2010
On Tuesday, March 9, 2010 the Laisison Committee, consisting of 2 members of the Patrick County Board of Supervisors and 2 members of the County School Board met at the School Board office.
Those in attendance were:
Division School Supt., Dr. Roger Morris, Bobby Rorrer, Chairman of the School Board (Mayo River District) and Quinn Brim (Dan River District) meeting with Jay Scudder, County Administrator, Karl Weiss, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors (Blue Ridge District) and Dr. Lock Boyce (Peters Creek District).
The purpose of the meeting was outlined by Bobby Rorrer as follows:
1. Answer questions, directly without going through someone else
2. Develop more combined services and resources and joint projects. Some examples of cooperating together on projects were:
A. Health Insurance
B. Parks and Recreation
C. Water and Sewer to Patrick Springs Elementary
D. Water to the High School.
Other potential projects to work together on are Technology and Maintenance of Vehicles.
3. Communications. Be open and help each other.
4. Clarification. This is not a budget committee.
Karl Weiss expressed a need to get a periodic update on the school construction projects since he gets lots of questions from constituents on this. Dr. Morris told of a weekly report from the General Contractor that can be shared. Also, he suggested a tour of construction projects in late spring. Dr. Morris reported that the $28 million construction project is on budget in an overall sense.
Jay Scudder mentioned that the County Government is responsible for long term debt, but the School Board is sharing a portion of this debt.
The amount of the County budget allocation to the School Board is $6, 613,837, which is 22% of the total revenue of the School Board. The remainder comes from, Federal 11%, State 62%, and Miscellaneous 5%. Both organizations are planning for level funding for the new budget period.
The School Board is looking at a possible reduction in funding from the State that ranges from $2.5 million to $3.5 million. Dr. Morris said it will be difficult to finalize the 2010-2011 budget until we receive an approved State budget. The State budget is due to be completed this weekend although it may not happen as scheduled.
Dr. Morris outlined the areas where general cuts are being examined:
1. Adult Education
2. Athletics
3. Governor School
4. Travel
5. Transportation
6. Maintenance
7. Technology
8. Using remaining stimulus funding to assist
9. Certain personnel cuts
In the area of personnel cuts, it can be handled in the following ways:
1. Planned retirements that will not be replaced. And if replaced, the pay scales will be lower
2. Attrition of staff during the year, that will not be replaced.
3. Redistricting may be necessary, which could result in more travel time for students
He says all departments will experience pain. They will re-bid the Honeywell emergency notification system, since the County government has found the cost of Global Connect is significantly reduced by comparison.
Reported by: Tom Bishop
