Youngstown schools cut administrators, put contracts on hold

YOUNGSTOWN — The Youngstown City School Board voted to cut 13 administrative posts next school year, but a debate over whether those cuts go deep enough resulted in the board delaying the granting new contracts to 40 other administrators.

The cuts imposed will save the district about $1.1 million in salary and fringe benefit costs and are part of a proposed 140-job, $7.1 million overall reduction plan being proposed by the school administration in the 2008-09 school year.

However, one school board member, Dominic Modarelli, voiced concerns that the administrative cuts presented for board action Tuesday dealt with lower-level people, not those at the top of the central office.

“I’m not happy with them,” Modarelli said in a Personnel Committee meeting held before the board vote. “I’m looking at central office. I’m looking at the heavy hitters down here.”

Modarelli took his protest to the regular board meeting, making a motion to table the awarding of renewal contracts to 40 other administrators for next school year, something the state requires school districts to do by the end of March each year.

Modarelli said he wants the superintendent to take a closer look at the cut list to determine if more central office jobs might go.

Three other school board members supported his motion and the issue was tabled.

Board President Shelley Murray immediately scheduled a special meeting for 4:30 p.m. Thursday to act on the renewals.

For more, see Wednesday’s Vindicator and vindy.com