News
Owosso schools axes positions to bolster budget
Email this story | Print this story
Tuesday, May 22, 2007 10:02 AM EDT
The Owosso Public Schools Board of Education approved about $1.2 million of administrative and teaching job cuts at a special budget meeting Monday.
“We're keeping this as far away from classrooms and the kids as possible,” said Superintendent Greg Gray.
Losing their jobs, at a cost savings of almost $400,000 to Shiawassee County's largest school district, are Assistant Superintendent Gary Bredahl, Technology Director Jim McAvoy, network technician Kevin Tomlinson, central office receptionist Debbie Desser, and Tammy Nash, employed in accounts payable.
The district is completely eliminating those positions.
Cutting even deeper into an anticipated seven-digit budget deficit for the 2007-08 school year, Owosso's Board of Education - Greg Cobb, Pam Coe, Dan Comrie, Lisa Hood, Jim Howe, Rick Mowen and Janice Opanasenko-Lubkin - also reluctantly approved several other personnel reductions through attrition - opting to not replace some employees who retire or resign - and shifting of staff and job responsibilities.
n Four 3.75-hour per day custodial positions have been created out of two 8-hour positions in the operations department, resulting in a savings of $25,000.
n Not replacing the full-time secretarial position at Bentley Elementary, saving $42,892. Bentley's current secretary will move to the district's central office, where a secretary there was cut.
n Elimination of media center positions at Washington and Bryant elementaries, a sixth-grade teacher at Emerson Elementary, special education instructor at Washington Elementary and a half-day kindergarten teacher at Bentley Elementary for a total savings of $450,000.
n And, at Owosso High School, not replacing special education, social studies and English teachers for a savings of $300,000.
When all is said and done, Owosso stands to save $1,212,965 from Monday's moves.
Gray and board members repeatedly stressed the staff reductions were strictly cost-savings measures and were in no way reflective of the affected employees' dedicated service to Owosso Public Schools.
The vote not to renew Bredahl's ContractED services was 5-2, with Hood and Comrie opting to retain the assistant superintendent. Eliminating the position will save the district $124,901. Bredahl served as interim superintendent following the 2005 departure of Larry Audet and the 2006 hiring of Gray.
McAvoy, an Owosso High School graduate, made $113,298 as technology director. Nash ($62,368), Desser ($54,972) and Tomlinson ($39,534) bringing the central office cuts to $395,073 including Bredahl.
“Obviously, none of this is easy,” Gray said. “These are good people, good employees who are losing their jobs. AgainŠwe are doing what has the least impact on the students of Owosso Public Schools.”
Monday's cuts target the 2007-08 budget even as Owosso struggles to balance 2006-07 expenditures.
Owosso, which has a student enrollment of about 3,850, is operating on an approximate $30.6 million budget for the ongoing school year. The district's $1.3 to $1.4 million budget deficit for 2006-07 is being covered through fund equity, reducing the OPS bank balance from $5.2 to an estimated $3.8 million by June 30.
“The Board instructed us to keep fund equity above $3 million,” Gray stated. “Education funding is tough right now. The state has kept us up in the air on per-pupil moneyŠeven as we close in on the end of the school year.
“It's about fiscal responsibility. These are valued employees we're losing. I wish, we all wish, this wasn't happening. It's simply a sign of the economic times, certainly not a reflection of the employees.”