County School officials said Monday that the coronavirus has dealt a blow to the upcoming budget just as it was in the final stages of preparation.
Brent Goldberg, finance director, said the economic downturn will mean no pay increases for the upcoming year except for step increases.
He said the schools will continue with a 2.5 percent pay raise announced in February, however.
Mr. Goldberg said the schools have been trying to get to $15 an hour for classroom support personnel. However, he said the best that can be done is a move to $12 an hour in 2021 and $13 and hour in 2022.
He also said the school system has aggressively been pulling millions of dollars out of surplus operating funds for school maintenance needs, but that is coming to an end. He said the system appears to be limited to $3 million per year.
Last year, some $15.2 million was put into maintenance, bringing the total to $40 million in three years. It has been $90 million in 10 years, it was stated.
Mr. Goldberg said it now appears that the county schools "will be getting $3 million to $4 million less in BEP money (from the state) than we thought just a couple of weeks ago."
He said the schools are getting a bump from a rush of buying in some sectors now, but it is expected that sales tax collections for the schools over the upcoming fiscal year will be down $1 million.
Mr. Goldberg said the system will likely hire some additional teachers due to enrollment increases, but he said there would be "no other staffing changes."
He said the health clinics and pharmacies would be opening this summer and should eventually bring cost savings.
In a School Board meeting that was conducted via the Zoom ap with school officials and board members at their homes or offices, Supt. Bryan Johnson said, "We're on the tip of a recession - or in the middle of one."
Board member Rhonda Thurman retorted, "I know all about a recession. I'm sitting here in an empty beauty shop."