Haddonfield Sun

By ROBERT LINNEHAN | The Haddonfield Sun
Facing a possible $471,000 shortfall in projected revenues for the current 2009-2010 school year budget, several members of the audience backed an employee who was faced with the prospect of losing her job.
Superintendent Alan Fegley presented the difficult news last week to a crowd of about 50 onlookers at the district’s first public budget workshop. Due to several unforeseen costs and the state possibly withholding its last two promised state aid payments, the district is expecting about $471,000 less in revenue than what was budgeted for the 2009-2010 school year.
The two state aid payments that will possibly be withheld would equal $300,000, Fegley said, the bulk of the estimated shortfall. It’s very likely that these will be withheld by the state, he said, but if they’re not the shortfall would only be $171,000.
To counteract the deficit, Fegley announced a spending freeze for any unnecessary purchases in the district for the current school year. There will also be a hiring freeze for any current vacant positions in the district, as well as a freeze on all unnecessary administration conferences, he said.
Additionally, Fegley recommended two cuts,  eliminating a janitorial and secretarial position in the district, for a savings of $36,000.
Several members of the audience stepped forward after Fegley unveiled his plan to eliminate the secretarial position, pleading with the board of education to find a way to keep the secretary.
According to those in attendance and the discussion of the issue at the meeting, the position that may possibly be cut is held by Linda Schairer, the main office secretary. The position is paid $22,000 a year.
All three secretaries in the main office help the teachers at HMHS in countless ways, enabling them to better teach their students, said Sharon Stokes, an HMHS world language teacher.
“The cost of letting this secretary go will be three times the amount of what you’re saving on her salary,” Stokes said. “All three of these secretaries are in every day by 7:15 a.m. and they’re still there when I leave at 4:15 p.m. “
Stokes pleaded to give the faculty a chance to meet with the board and try to find $22,000 in savings somewhere else.
Janet Eckhouse, a science facilitator for HMHS, also asked the board to reconsider its decision. Schairer helps the district save money through her efforts to find the best prices on all of the necessary supplies for the science department, according to Eckhouse.
“There has to be another way to do this,” Eckhouse said.
After the public comment, board member Joe Ehrhardt suggested tabling the elimination of the secretarial position until next meeting. During the next few weeks he suggested the board meet with HMHS faculty to discuss other various ways to find the $22,000.
The board passed the amendment unanimously. Board President Steve Weinstein said the board of education is always available for suggestions for these types of matters. However, he warned that more cuts may be necessary and the 2010-2011 budget will be one of the most difficult budgets the board has ever had to put together.
In other board of education news:
• The board passed an RFP to outsource its custodial services after an encouraging report came back from an outside firm. According to the report, the district could possibly save as much as $300,000 if it outsources its services, Business Administrator Andy Hall said.
It would be a significant savings for the 2010-2011 budget, he said, which is going to be extremely tight.
“This has nothing to do with our current staff. They do a great job, but it could be a significant cost savings for us,” he said.
If the bids come back to the district and do indeed present a significant savings, the board would determine the next course of action, Hall said.
The board approved the RFP. Dr. Cheryl Laney had the lone dissenting vote.

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