A budget committee meeting of members of the Williamsburg County School District held on February 17, was an emotional one at best. Opening remarks made by budget chair Kent Evans would not soften the blow that some schools may be closed as the district continues to struggle with the budget deficit and St. Mark was the center of attention. “There needs to be some tough decisions made and we need to discuss them openly and at some point in our lives take some action as it relates to the business of the school district and the budget,” said Evans.
St. Mark has been one of three schools teetering on the edge of the chopping block for some time. In August 2009, the board was presented a detailed facilities study by the Caldwell Group and that study included an assessment of the capital needs of each school with a prioritized list of cost estimates and recommendations for each site.
The study concluded the district’s elementary schools, which are St. Mark, Cades-Hebron and D.P. Cooper make up half of “critical mission” concerns and recommended consolidating at least two of the three schools. Presenter Didi Caldwell suggested several strategies to approach the issues, one being the board establish a committee who would reach out to the community. “Once you decide on a path you want to follow you may want to form a committee made up of the general population. That way the community can take ownership of it and feel like this is their project,” she said during the August meeting and board member Charles Garner reintroduced the idea during Wednes-day’s meeting but the strategy may not have the impact it could have had six months ago.
Board Chairman Norman Gamble emphasized the budget meeting was an information session only but when they sit in front of their constituents at St. Mark during their February 22, meeting, they may regret the missed opportunity.
Garner also reaffirmed Evan’s statement that the board must make tough decisions. “The problem is we know we’re going to have to consolidate,” he said. “It doesn’t matter who’s first, second, or third. It has to be done in the next few years and it has to start some place.”
Many factors are being weighed in the decision making process, such as the proximity of the school to other schools, student population, and total expenditures related to each school and how to assimilate displaced students into other schools. Board member Norma Gamble wondered why more concrete information wasn’t presented before the meeting. “Looking at the cost, St. Mark’s expenditures is not the most expensive one. And speaking with management, St. Mark School is in better condition than some of the others in terms of groups,” said Gamble, “Just to take a snap shot at one small section is not fair.”
The committee also discussed other strategies to reduce the deficit that included reducing contract days, reduction of personnel across the board, salary freezes and eliminating the local attorney. “If we need a local attorney then we will go get one but not just to keep one on board,” said board member Norma Gamble. Evans countered saying the district’s legal services are grossly over budget and retaining a local attorney every time they needed one would be costly. Chairman Norman Gamble added that the local attorney has been more of an asset than a liability and someone he has enjoyed working with over the past 15 years.
The final 2010-2011 budget must be adopted by the end of April but Finance Director Christen Green said in order to begin to formulate a budget the board must make decisions that include not only consolidation, but a middle school concept which will factor into the consolidation, and the assignment of personnel, no later than February 22, but Gamble pressed for March. “That’s really pushing it,” said Green who agreed to March 15.
In frustration, Evans said the board has done nothing this fiscal year. “We come in here and we drink coffee and eat breakfast but we never make tough decisions,” claimed Evans. In an earlier statement Evans said the board is made up of “nice” people who can’t make hard decisions. “This board hasn’t done anything but absorb some cuts,” he said. “If anyone has been keeping up with the news, they are already projecting a 25 percent cut.” Evans said according to his estimates, over the past few years the district has been operating at or above levels with approximately 25 percent less student population. “It just doesn’t make good business sense to operate at a higher level…We get 37 million dollars, use it appropriately.” The next budget meeting will be held February 24, at 8:00.