Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, March 25, 1995 TAG: 9503270032
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-8 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PULASKI LENGTH: Medium
The board voted its support of a $25.4 million budget for 1995-96, which would require $500,000 more than this year in local revenue for a total of $8.3 million from the county.
The vote came Thursday night, following a two-and-a-half-hour closed session in which the board discussed which teachers would not be rehired under the proposed budget. The board also discussed a legal matter.
As originally presented by the administrative staff, the budget called for teacher raises of 4.5 percent with administrative and support personnel getting 3.5 percent.
After the closed session, Superintendent Bill Asbury changed the recommendation to a straight 4 percent raise for all personnel. He said the board had conveyed the feeling to him in the closed session that it preferred a single across-the-board raise for everyone.
The change will mean that the administrative staff must rework the salary scales, in which it was trying to reduce the number of step increases between beginning and maximum salaries.
Because there are more teachers than administrators and support personnel, the reduction from 4.5 percent to 4 percent in proposed salary increases will save some money. Asbury said it would mean that two of the 10 teaching positions that were slated to be cut next year can now be kept.
Asbury outlined the proposed 1995-96 budget to teachers Friday.
The overall budget would be up by $1.4 million over the current one, with $392,951 more anticipated in state revenue and $20,703 more in federal funds. Other savings would come from adjustments within budget categories, and $188,890 more from the state based on student numbers.
Those numbers have held steady this year instead of dropping as in previous years, so state money based on average daily class membership will be higher than anticipated. The School Board will ask the county Board of Supervisors to allow them to take that money - $188,890 - and roll it into next year's budget.
School officials are working on an agreement with the county Health Department to provide four nurses for up to 20 hours a week in elementary and middle schools. "They could also be on call," said Karen Klymer, coordinator of pupil personnel services.
Shannon Turner, president of the Pulaski County Education Association, presented results of a compensation survey conducted by the association in which teachers reported they wanted a 6.5 percent salary increase. Other requests included smaller classes, better health insurance, dental insurance and more personal leave days.
Cafeteria workers, custodians, maintenance personnel, mechanics and bus drivers desired a 7 percent raise; secretaries, clerks and bookkeepers asked for 5 percent, and aides asked for 5.5 percent.
The association conducted the survey in January in anticipation of working with the central office staff on a joint budget proposal. But, Turner said, "there was some confusion concerning our request and a joint proposal did not become a reality."
Asbury had asked Turner to share the survey results with the board.
by CNB