Schools’ payroll drops; deficit still anticipated

By Harold Gwin

The city school district cut more administrative and custodial positions than projected.

YOUNGSTOWN — The city school district payroll will drop by nearly 10 percent this fiscal year.

It’s the result of ongoing staff reductions related to the district’s efforts to deal with a general fund budget deficit, said Damon Dohar, assistant superintendent for human resources.

Dohar, in a report Tuesday to the state fiscal oversight commission controlling district finances since Youngstown was placed in fiscal emergency by the state in November 2006, said the schools cut 143 positions through retirements, resignations and reductions in force due to declining enrollment this year.

Those cutbacks will reduce this fiscal year’s salary cost to about $46 million, down substantially from last year’s $50.8 million, he said.

The district had made cutback projections in seven employee categories and met or surpassed those goals in five of them, Dohar said.

A total of 14 administrative positions were targeted but 18 have been cut, he said.

In the teaching ranks, 68 cuts were proposed and 68 were made, despite the fact Youngstown has recalled 32 teachers to fill vacancies.

Two curriculum specialist spots were targeted and both are gone, and 10 clerical posts were on the list but only seven have been cut so far. However, that number is expected to reach 10 with some retirements before the end of the fiscal year, Dohar said.

The district targeted 15 aide positions and all are gone, and custodial reductions, set at 24, actually reached 33, he said. There were plans to cut three trades positions, but none have been eliminated, Dohar said.

Youngstown ran a budget deficit of $15 million two years ago and another $10.4 million last year. Projections are that the red ink could reach more than $11 million this year.

The district has cut a total of $26 million in spending and about 450 jobs over the last two years but still needs voters to approve a 9.5-mill, four-year tax levy to eliminate the deficit.

The levy will be on the November election ballot.

gwin@vindy.com