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Schools

School Board Balances Amended Budget by Eliminating Raises

About $23.5 million was cut Monday night.

UPDATE (11:42 p.m.)— teachers would keep their jobs but not get pay raises in the amended fiscal year 2012 budget that the Board of Education narrowly passed Monday night.

After discussions that lasted more than two hours, and included seven failed amendment proposals by member , the board approved the spending plan by a 4–3 vote.

For the complete revised budget summary, click here.

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The biggest adjustment to meet the $23.5 million shortfall is the elimination of $15.3 million in the wage increases negotiated with teachers. That means school system staff will not receive a 3 percent salary increase proposed by Superintendent Robert Tomback in .

Board members Frisch, and Donald Osman voted against the document, which cut more than $14 million from the school system's unrestricted funds. Only Grambo voted against the original document in late January.

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I was disappointed that … they cut every cent from the proposed negotiated agreement,” Harford County Education Association President Randy Cerveny said afterward.

Cerveny said he was pleased that teaching positions were not eliminated, despite no wage increase.

The board got some good news early in the meeting from budget Director James Jewell.

Jewell began his recommendation stating that the schools are set to receive about $2.7 million more than expected from the state, which cut the system's deficit to about $20.7 million.

In addition to the salary cuts, there is also an $855,500 reduction in special education and $1.5 million in projected salary turnover savings, including retirements.

Only seven current positions would not be filled in the new budget, Jewell said. That includes the elimination of four custodial positions and one computer technician.

Requested funds for Red Pump Elementary School, scheduled to open in the fall, would decrease by $1.47 million. A request of 49 new positions has been “reduced by 25.5,” Jewell said.

“We will transfer more teachers with the redistricting and offer as much as we can,” he said.

The school must also pay for other items in the fiscal year that starts July 1. 

The system is budgeting nearly $1 million more for a 6.5 percent increase in health insurance costs and about $612,000 more to cover anticipated increases in gas costs from $3 to $3.75 per gallon.

In addition, the Maryland General Assembly passed down about $756,000 in pension costs to the county.

Frisch led a lengthy debate of his amendments to make cuts as small as $15,000, drawing the ire of Tomback and most board members, particularly President Mark Wolkow.

Wolkow twice made a motion to call the budget discussion into question, which would have eliminated further debate. Four board members voted to end the debate each time, but a two-thirds majority—or fifth vote—was required.

“I’m very disappointed in this motion because when you try to shut up one person one time, who’s going to be next?" Frisch said.

He added after the meeting the attacks were not personal.

“We all have our own viewpoints. We’re all passionate about what we think and I certainly respect every board member’s standing up for their position and their ideas,” Frisch said. “I think that kind of debate is healthy. It’s for the public to see that the board isn’t just a group-think.”

Wolkow later said, "I think what I’m hearing is that people aren’t comfortable making the decision right now based on the limited information we have."

Just two seats to Frisch’s left, Tomback questioned Frisch’s intentions, referring to him as "the board member," instead of by name.

Among Frisch’s failed proposals was a “pay for play” measure that would have required students to pay $50 per sport for participating in interscholastic athletics.

"My concern here is that we're not sufficiently looking toward the future," he said before the final budget vote.

Frisch said after the meeting that he had “dozens” more amendments to propose, but surrendered after his first seven attempts failed.

A vote came about two-and-half hours into the session.

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