Job cuts to lower shortfall

The district is still facing a $10.3 million general fund budget deficit this year.

By HAROLD GWIN

VINDICATOR EDUCATION WRITER

YOUNGSTOWN — The city school district has added 22 custodial positions, most of them filled by students, to a list of job eliminations next school year.

It’s part of the district’s efforts to cut some $7 million in spending as Youngstown ends this school year June 30 with a $10,380,000 general fund budget deficit.

The custodial cuts come on top of 31 announced earlier, bringing the total reductions in that department to 53 for next year.

The district also is laying off 76 teachers and eliminating 13 administrative posts.

Dr. Wendy Webb, superintendent, announced the latest round of cuts at Thursday’s meeting of the state-appointed Financial Planning and Supervision Commission, which has taken control of district spending since the state placed Youngstown under fiscal emergency in November 2006.

The custodial positions include five licensed helpers, two eight-hour custodial helpers and 15 student helpers, for a total savings of $427,000, Webb said.

She also announced an $80,000 cut in the library budget, a reflection of the district’s declining enrollment, she said.

Webb said the district also is anticipating $1.2 million in increased revenues next school year that can help reduce the deficit.

All that money will come from the Ohio Department of Education in the form of reimbursements for programming and services provided for special-needs pupils and re-instituting a teenage parenting program, she said.

The superintendent also outlined some possible reductions in spending and revenue increases that are being discussed.

They include revamping the district’s special education transportation program at an estimated savings of $500,000 a year, the sale of the Ward central office building on Wood Street that could net $1 million and the elimination of a bus garage lease on Albert Street for a $300,000 annual savings.

Webb said the district also is looking at the possibility of hiring a professional food service management company that could result in less cost for that program.

Roger Nehls, chairman of the oversight commission, said he was pleased to see the district is continuing to make spending cuts.

In a related matter, the commission voted to ask the state to provide a $10,380,000 solvency loan that will balance the district’s budget this year.

Youngstown borrowed $15 million from the state last year and repaid half of it this year, with the other half to be repaid next year. That debt service will be increased by half of the new solvency loan ($5,190,000) next year, with the other half of the new loan being repaid in fiscal 2009-10.