Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, March 15, 1991 TAG: 9103150502
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C1 EDITION: BEDFORD/FRANKLIN
SOURCE: MONICA DAVEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BEDFORD LENGTH: Medium
"The board unanimously approved the budget," School Board Chairman Lorenza E. Davis said. "For the record, we support our teachers."
With that, Davis called on each School Board member, soliciting a brief comment. Most of the statements echoed his.
On March 4, Supervisor Tony Ware told other members of the Board of Supervisors that School Board members would understand if their employees didn't get raises next year.
In the budget it submitted to the Board of Supervisors, the School Board asked for a 2.5 percent pay raise for school employees in 1991-92. That raise would cost the county some $630,000, county officials say.
Faced with the prospect of a $2 million deficit, the supervisors have indicated that they will not fund that pay raise, especially because other county employees will not get any raises next year.
And, in the budget session a week ago, Ware suggested that most School Board members would actually agree with the supervisors' decision. "I have talked to some of the School Board members, and I think they concur with us wholeheartedly," Ware said.
The pay raise issue was mostly Superintendent John Kent's cause, Ware said. Kent "is out on a limb without his own board," Ware had said.
Thursday night's comments from School Board members, though, revealed support for Kent's position.
"I want to reaffirm my support for that," School Board member Ben R. Shrader said of the budget and the pay raise request.
"I don't think we should equate teachers with county employees," he said. "It's not the same thing. . . . I think we need to maintain morale and send a message."
Still, a few board members indicated Thursday that they might be willing to cut out those proposed raises - if the supervisors cut school funds.
Earlier, Kent had suggested that raises would stay in the budget regardless. If necessary, other areas would be cut, he said in a letter.
In a February letter to supervisors' Chairman A.A. "Gus" Saarnijoki, Kent had pointed out that the supervisors can decide how much money the schools get, but cannot dictate how it is spent.
"The School Board has taken the position not to freeze salaries," Kent wrote. "Adjustments would be made programmatically."
Like the others, School Board member Jackie T. Preston said Thursday that he supported the proposed budget. But, he added, "If there have to be cuts made, I don't want to be locked in with what we do."
"I sure wouldn't want to burn a bridge behind me," member Hunter B. Hale added.
The Board of Supervisors will complete its budget and its allocation for the schools after a public hearing March 28. The School Board canceled its regular meeting set for the same day "in deference to the public hearing."
The supervisors will vote on the budget April 8. The School Board will then re-examine its allotment at a meeting three days later.
by CNB