COLDWATER (WTVB) - The Coldwater Board Of Education last night learned that preliminary budget figures show a 2 million dollar deficit for next school year. This figure is based on a proposed 470 dollar cut in state funding, a 4% increase in state mandated retirement payments, 12 percent increases in health insurance of which employees pay 3 percent and an expected decrease 52 students. If nothing changes, the district could face a 5 million dollar deficit in 2015.
Superintendent Dr Tina Kerr told the board she works on a tier basis, giving the school board options in each of the four tiers and how much those cuts would save the district with tier four being the worst case scenario. In Kerr’s words, ”I’m not going to lie, I spent four hours with administrators and to get to the 2-million in cuts in this district is going to be very, very difficult and especially trying to hold sacred the staffing piece, so there may be some pretty radical things that will be looked at.”
So the budget building process has begun. The administrative staff has identified eight hundred thousand in possible cuts to date, but Kerr said they have a long way to go.
In other action last night, after a closed evaluation session the board approved a one year contract extension for Dr Kerr, through the 2014 school year.
