Cutting a deficit: School Board agrees to cut $150,000 next year

BY BEN RODGERS

THE JAMESTOWN SUN

The Jamestown Public School Board came to the consensus to cut at least $150,000 from the 2012-2013 school year budget at Monday’s meeting.

The district faces estimated deficit spending of $945,125 for the next year school year. Dropping between $150,000 and $200,000 from the deficit is the first step toward the long process of having a balanced budget.

“We’re in a good enough position with the budget surplus that we have, that we don’t have to go into panic mode,” said JPS Superintendent Bob Toso. “… We do have a healthy surplus and we can take a few years and spend that down, and hopefully through attrition we can meet our budget goals — that’s my long-term plan.”

Eighty percent of the estimated $24,533,268 budget for 2012-2013 is employee salary and benefits. Toso said staff not hired through federal grants will be safe from the first cut.

“I answered truthfully when I said we’re not going to be cutting staff based on cutting the budget, but there are some federal programs we’re going to have trouble with because the money won’t be there,” he said.

JPS administration will present a budget for 2012-2013 in late May or early June with the proposed cuts. The School Board can then reject or approve the proposal.

Sun reporter Ben Rodgers can be reached at 701-952-8455 or by email at brodgers@jamestownsun.com

Tags: local news, school board, news, updates