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Editorial
Budget Cutting
When the Board of Supervisors went along with member Charles K. “Pete” Estes’s motion last week to cut $127,404.40 from the school budget, it was apparent that was not a number chosen at random. Evidently Mr. Estes and School Superintendent David Gangel had discussed the amount that could be cut. It is not clear, however, that Mr. Estes knew exactly what items would be on the chopping block.
It is not likely the supervisors would have gone along with the cut if they had known the drop-out coordinator’s positiop would be eliminated. They took enough flack about that position last year, and no previous discussion had indicated the position was in jeopardy.
It was also clear that at least one member of the Board of Supervisors did not think cutting funds to replace the roof over the elementary school gymnasium and cafeteria was wise. Mike Massie said he felt including that as a part of routine maintenance was good policy.
Those cuts now come back to haunt both boards. While Dr. Gangel has promised to at least partially fund the drop-out position, the work being done by that teacher is ongoing, and not conducive to a half-time schedule. Adolescents can be in crisis at any time of the day and any day of the week. When that happens, it will not work to tell them the person they rely on for help will not be available until tomorrow.
The county has experience in what can happen if the schools try to replace a roof while students are in the building. The gym roof is leaking, but water is not yet falling on the floor. What is the point of waiting until not only water but possibly crumbling ceiling material is landing on the floor before replacing the roof. Also Richie Burke, the county’s building official, has confirmed that the last replacement of the roof over the rest of the original elementary school involved substandard work. Replacing the gym roof was to be the first step of a multi-year process of replacing the entire roof, and the rest of the building was to get a peaked roof. If each step is delayed an additional year, it is likely the $41,500 saved will be eaten up by inflation in the cost of the total project even if no further damage results.
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