Baldwin County School Cuts

Tonight Baldwin County Board of Education members convened to hear solutions to a $10.4 million budget hole left in it's budget after the governor's 12% proration declaration late last year.

Chief Financial Officer Jean McCutchen told the board that the good news is that she has already identified four or five million dollars in savings as a result of flexibilities that the state has recently granted school systems such as delaying the purchases of buses and using those dollars along with fuel cost savings to pay employees.

The bad news, McCutchen explained, is that the state is already projecting a double whammy to the budget - at least another 10 to 12 million dollar cut next year on top of the already slashed amount.

McCutchen said that the intent of the district continues to be "protecting the classroom and as many employees as possible". While employee costs, especially for part time contract workers were identified, the board did not discuss laying off any employee at this time.

The Board has asked Dr. Hollinger to present a plan for consideration that would could be voted on at it's board meeting at the end of the month.