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Friday, September 9, 2011

Education Committee Approves Budget Cuts, Layoffs

The Sumner County Commission's Education Committee last night approved a School Board budget that cuts 91 jobs and closes E.B. Wilson High School. The budget would also end substitute teachers in high schools, forcing other teachers in the building to give up planning time to cover classes when a teacher misses.

The Committee move the budget on to the Budget Committee on Monday at 7:00 PM at the County Administration Building.

Committee members did suggest that if the Board presented a budget that allowed bookkeepers to keep their jobs for this year, they MIGHT find $500,000 to make that happen. They didn't promise that, but suggested that as a possibility.

With that half-hearted assurance, it is at least possible that 46 bookkeepers could keep their jobs for this year, though without more funding in 2012, their jobs may again be in jeopardy. And even if bookkeepers kept their jobs for the remainder of this year, 45 employees would lose their jobs by January 1st, 2012.

It's worth noting that even if this budget passes and cuts are made this year, the Board will likely be facing a significant shortfall in 2012-2013 due to growth and the fact that this year's budget is balanced using reserve funds that won't be available next year.

The Budget Committee meets on Monday at 7:00 PM and it's members are:

Kirk Moser, Chair -- 824-9148 rkirklandmoser@bellsouth.net

Jerry Stone, Vice-Chair -- 824-5981 stone37075@bellsouth.net

Chris Hughes -- 264-2297 hughes4commish@yahoo.com

Jim Vaughn -- 264-3858 vaughn82@comcast.net

Shawn Utley -- 325-3771 slcutley@bellsouth.net

Paul Freels -- 824-0817

Moe Taylor -- 452-3843 moe@nctc.com

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