School Board Approves Cuts for 90 Classified Employees

The  on Thursday approved a for 90 classified school employees because of a lack of funds. The reductions equal a savings of $660,000 from the district's general fund and $400,000 from the restricted funds.

Scott Price, president of Local 180 Classified Employees Union, said the cuts equal 50 percent of the classified personnel. He asked   to make a list of cuts in Benicia Unified School District management and to tighten the district's belt as well.

Classified employees are not required to have a teaching credential, and include librarians, office and special education assistants, custodians and computer resource technicians.

The district must make the cuts before the level of state funding for next year is known. It expects positions and/or hours to be reinstated if funds become available. Funds include money raised by the  on Sunday.

Ron Phillips asked the board why the district's reserve funding could not be spent and suggested it wait for t to be present before proceeding. Stewart was absent from Thursday's meeting.

Board member suggested making a comprehensive list of all district spending to better prioritize cuts.

added, “The budgeting time line absolutely requires us to keep our options open in terms of reducing the budget. That's just unfortunately the way the state system works. We are forced with the choice of sending out pink slips. My position is to send as many slips out as is necessary to maintain our flexibility. I'm sorry for that but I just don't see another way to do it.”

Dean continued: “If you are going to come... and say, 'Please don't cut that,' I'm going to ask you, What should I do? If you are going to complain about something, please come forward with a proposed solution. We have a real 'Sophie's Choice.' ”

The district's general fund has a deficit of $1.9 million to $3.5 million. 

“I don't believe that this crisis will be over in the year 2011 and 12," said Adams.  "We really need to look at stretching our dollars out into the future. We've got a $3.5 million cut to make, we've only identified $1.9 million worth of cuts. That necessarily leads to a $1.6 million dip into the reserve. Anybody saying that we are not touching the reserve is not stating things correctly, at least as it appears today.”

The vote was called and the motion carried unanimously 4-0.

Benicia High librarian Dorothy Hanson is slated to lose 25 percent of her hours. After the meeting, she said, “My frustration is there are positions that were spared any reductions. That's why we asked the board to look at priority setting. If they look at a comprehensive list, they will find there are positions that support administrative positions that have been spared any cuts. Those positions deal with far fewer students than a library certainly does. Who selected what positions to be placed on that cut list?”

The district is required to give the 90 employees notice of potential cuts 45 days before the end of the school year. The vote could not be delayed because Thursday's meeting was the last one that would fall within that 45-day period.