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School board needs to cut $22 million from budget | LoudounTimes.com

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Schoolboardneedstocut$22millionfrombudget
Wednesday,Mar.21,2012byLauraPeters|111comments|Emailthisstory

11 TheLoudounCountySchoolBoardandBoardofSupervisorsspentMarch21movingforward withthefiscal2013finances.Supervisorsoptedtomovethetaxrateupto$1.237.Atthisrate, theSchoolBoardwillneedtofindanadditional$22milliononcutsfromtheirproposed budget,stilllessthantherequiredcutsfromearlierjointboarddiscussions.Theschool boardsbudgetisaround$73millionmorethanfiscal2012. Supervisorsvoted531withSuzanneVolpe(RAlgonkian),KenReid(RLeesburg)and EugeneDelgaudio(RSterling)againstandShawnWilliams(RBroadRun)absent. Imconcernedat$22million.Iknowthiswillputyouallinsomewhatofatoughspot.But, $22iscertainlybetterthan$44[million],SupervisorChairmanScottYork(RAtLarge) said. Around$51millioninschoolfundingwillgotowardtheschoolstwonewschoolsopening andadditionalstaffwithmorethan2,500expectedstudentsinthenewschoolyear. Somesupervisorsraisedconcernsaboutexcessivespending,usingexamplesofcountycars notinuseattheschooladministrationbuilding,prometheanboardsthatarentbeingutilized andovertimebeingpaidtoLCPSemployeesoutsidetheclassroom. Everyoneinthecountyisaffected.Thisisbynomeansaneasydecision.Howeverthisisan $86millionincreaseoverthebasebudget,VicechairJanetClarke(RBlueRidge)explained. Ifeelhavingworkedinmanyschoolsinthiscounty,thattheonusisonthemanagementto recognizeinordertonotnegativelyaffecttheteachersorthestudentsintheclassroom.There isalotofovertimeindicatedinmanydepartmentsincentralofficewhoarenotintheschools whereyouhaveteacherswhoareworkingtirelesslyintotheevening,notgettingpaid overtime.Whyarepeopleincentralofficegettingpaidovertime? TheSchoolBoardexpressedconcernsabouthavingtimetoevaluatewheretocutfrom. Theresgoingtobeanimpact:whetheritcomesoutoftransportation,whetherwehaveto reconfigurebenefitstomakethemmoreaffordable.Whateverwedo,theresgoingtobean impact.Myproblemisnotnecessarilytheamountofthecuts,itsthefactthatwedonthave thetimetoconsidertheimpactofthosecuts,SchoolBoardmemberBillFox(Leesburg)said. Youtellmeyouwant$44millioncut,Icancut$44milliontonight,buttocutanyamount, $22million,$44millionresponsiblysothatweunderstandtheimpactofthosecutsbefore makingthem.Thatrequiressometime,andIdontknowsincethemajorityofusarebrand newboardmemberswerejustcominginthe$13millionthatwevecutsofaristhe amountthemajorityoftheboardfeltwecouldcutresponsiblywithoutimpactingtheservices thatweprovideandbeingsomewhatsurethatweknowwhattheimpactofthosecutswould be,hecontinued.Togoaboveandbeyondthat,whetherits$22millionor$44million,we canmakethosecuts.Itsamatterofbeingabletopredictpossiblyunforeseenconsequences ofthosecuts. SchoolBoardChairmanEricHornberger(Ashburn)saidhehopesthestatewillcome throughandassistwithextrafunding.TheSchoolBoardwilldeterminewherefurthercuts willcomefromduringtheirnextmeetingMarch27. CapitalImprovementProject(CIP) ThemajorityofjointmeetingwasspentreviewingtheschoolsCapitalImprovementProject scheduleandbudget.Intheend,theboardagreedtokeepallprojectsinplace,delayingone elementaryschool(ES21),originallyslatedtobeconstructedin2013to2014. ThedebatecenteredaroundtheplacementofES21,whichwasapprovedtobeputonthe GrantPerkinssite.Muchofthecontroversyaroundthesitecouldpotentiallyfitahigh school. But,thesitewasagreeduponbyboththeBoardofSupervisorsandtheSchoolBoardtobe designatedasanelementaryschool,withothercountyservicesontheextraland.
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4/8/12

School board needs to cut $22 million from budget | LoudounTimes.com

BothboardshadbroughtuptheideaofmovingtheelementaryschoolclosertotheDulles Southareathatneedsovercrowdingtobealleviated.Staffpointedoutthenewprocessfor obtaininglandislong.Ithastobemetinagreementbybothboardsanditwouldntbe figuredoutintimeforES21tobebuiltin2013whichsupervisorschosetopushback. Weneedtogetthisissueaddressedasquicklyaswecan.Ithinkweneedtomoveforward withthesitewehaveavailabletobuiltanelementaryschool,SupervisorMattLetourneau (RDulles)said. Amajorproblemtheothersite,Eastgate,forES21bringsforthiswetlandsthatwoulddivide theproperty,makingitdifficulttopositionaschoolon. Wecouldsaveourselvesalotofmoneyifwelookedatthosevacantparcelsforschoolsites, sowecouldsavethemoneyandusethelandthatisalreadyownedbythecounty,Volpesaid. Shesaidthattheycouldjustshiftstudentstogotoaschoolonpiecesoflandthatthecounty hasalreadypurchaseandpointedoutthatthereareplentyoflandparcels. SchoolBoardmembersurgedsupervisorstoreevaluatepositioningofschoolsdueto transportingstudentsandhavingtoredrawboundarylines.
TheLoudounTimesMirror

Wehavetothinkoftheoperationalcosts,Hornbergersaidinregardstothepriceofgas risingandbusingstudentstoschoollocationsthatarefurtheraway. SupervisorsbumpeduprenovationsforLoudounValleyHighSchoolbyayear,pushingit fromfiscalyear2014tofiscalyear2013.Indoingso,thereferendumforimprovementswill beplaceontheballotsinNovember2012,andconstructionscouldbeginearlyasspring 2013. CapitalImprovementProject Projectsfor2013 Highschool(HS6) Highschool(HS8) LoudounValleyHighSchoolrenovations Projectsfor2014 Elementaryschool(ES21)intheDullesSoutharea MercerMiddleSchooladdition FreedomHighSchooladdition Projectsfor2015 Elementaryschool(ES23)intheDullesNortharea Middleschool(MS9)intheDullesNortharea Projectfor2016 AdvancedTechnologyAcademy(MATA)inatobedeterminedlocation Projectfor2017 Middleschool(MS7)intheDullesSoutharea Projectsfor2018 Elementaryschool(ES28)intheDullesSoutharea Highschool(HS11)intheDullesNortharea CSMonroeCenterconversiontoalternativeschool Projectsthataretobefundedinthefuture,buthavebeenputonholdinclude: Fulldaykindergartenclassroomconstruction CatoctinElementaryrenovation GuilfordElementaryaddition SullyElementaryaddition LoudounCountyHighSchoolstadiumrestroomfacility TransportationsatellitefacilitiesinDullesSouthandwesternLoudoun CapitalAssetPreservationProgram(CAPP) Theboardvoted603withRalphBuona(RAshburn),WilliamsandVolpeabsenttopass theschoolboards$3.2millionCapitalAssetPreservationProgram. TheCAPPisaspecialbudgetdesignedspecificallyforprojectsnotqualifiedforLoudoun CountyPublicSchoolsCapitalImprovementProgram. Thefundsareprimarilyforreplacementandmaintenanceofmajorsystemsinschools includingroofs,walls,floorstorunningtracksandelectricalsystems.Therearesome requirementsforprojectstofitintothiscategory.Projectsmusthaveaminimumestimated valueof$10,000andthereplacedsystemsmusthaveanexpectedlifespanofmorethan10 years.Eachprojectmustalsobeaportionofamajorcomponenttothebuildingorsiteto qualifyfortheprogram.
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School board needs to cut $22 million from budget | LoudounTimes.com

Fiscal2013CAPPprojects Electrical BallsBluffElementaryreplacingfirealarmsystem$75,000 LincolnElementaryreplacinglightingfixturesandceilingsthroughouttheschool $375,000 MonroeTechnologyCenterreplacingfirealarmsystem$70,000 ParkViewHighreplacingemergencygenerator$35,000 HVAC LoudounValleyHighreplacingfiverooftopHVACunits$25,000 MercerMiddleSchoolrebuildingchiller$45,000 MountainViewElementaryrebuildingchiller$45,000 SenecaRidgeMiddleSchoolreplacingmediacenterrooftopHVACunit$15,000 SmartsMillMiddlerebuildingchiller$45,000 Plumbing AshburnElementaryreplacingdishwasher$20,000 WaterfordElementaryupgradingwaterwellsystem$185,000 Resurfacing BroadRunHighresurfacingrunningtrack$110,000 EagleRidgeMiddlesealcoatasphatlicpavementandrestripe$100,000 EmerickElementarysealcoatasphatlicpavementandrestripe$80,000 LoudounCountyHighresurfacingrunningtrack$140,000 ParkViewHighrepairingasphalt,sealcoatandrestriping$160,000 RiverBendMiddlesealcoatasphatlicpavementandrestripe$100,000 SeldensLandingElementarysealcoatasphatlicpavementandrestripe$60,000 Roofing BlueRidgeMiddlereplacingroof$1.2million LeesburgElementaryreplacingroofflashing$30,000 PotomacFallsHighreplacingroofflashing$50,000 Structurerepair DouglassSchoolreplacinggymbleachers$150,000 JohnW.TolbertElementaryreplacingcarpetthroughouttheschool$60,000 11 SuperkidsinVirginia SuperkidsK2isastateadoptedreadingprogram.Seeourresults!
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Comments
Wed,Mar28at07:19AMbySmokey|Reportthiscomment

Yougivingmeapain.Itsa22milliondollarreductionina86milliondollar increase.Wrapyoursocallededucatedmindaroundthat.Yourbonafidesare inseriousdoubtwhenitcomestomathmaybeacareerchangetotruckdriver wouldbebestforthebuildingindustry.

Wed,Mar28at07:07AMbyPainedPicasso|Reportthiscomment

Thecountyisgrowingata10%rate,yetschoolsneedtotakea22Mcut. Hmm... Imanengineerandmathematicianbytrade,andwatchingtheseProGrowth BoSmembersdothemathonthisbudgetislikeforcingPicassotowatch HuckFinnpaintafence.Itsprettypainful!! Atwhatpointdoesthisideologyhitabrickwall?Atwhattimewillthe studentboardgraduatefromelementaryschoolandstartcreatingviable budgetsandtaxstructureswhicharesustainable? Oristhisanissueofconflictofinterest?HowmanyBoSareactingas consultantsfortheconstructionindustryasadayjob?Doweneedconflictof interestlawsinVirginiaforlocalgovts?BecauseIjustreadanarticlewhich rankedVirginia4thinthenationforcorruption.Doesthatneedtohappen beforewehaveaviablecountygovt,onethatiscapableofgoverningthe countyandrepresentingtheirconstituents?

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