Budget

Budget

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$100,000 cut out of salaries. He said that he is also looking at ways to save money by cutting program costs. He said that he had asked principals at both schools to look at ways to cut that part of the budget without eliminating any programs.

One possibility, he said, might be a reduction in staff through attrition. Some classes at the elementary school might be larger with fewer sections. Also at the high school fewer sections might be offered in some courses making classes larger. He said the administration might also consider, when hiring replacement teachers for those who have resigned, making some of the positions part time rather than full time. “We are hoping we will not be faced with the deletion of any program,” he said.

At Monday’s work session Dr. Gangel said that each one percent cut in salaries would save the county $36,796. This figure includes salaries and fringe benefits except for health insurance. Hampton District representative Mike Massie said he felt the school system might give a greater benefit to its employees by trying to fund 100 percent of a single subscriber’s health insurance premium, rather than granting a six percent salary increase.

Assistant Superintendent Robert Chappell points out that an increase in health insurance benefits wouldn’t benefit all employees, since only about half the employees participate in the insurance program.

County Administrator John McCarthy suggested that probably all would join if the county was paying 100 percent of a single subscriber’s premium. He said that paying for health insurance was one benefit for county employees that had helped boost morale, since for most employees Rappahannock’s salaries are not competitive with those in surrounding counties.