Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, March 13, 1992                   TAG: 9203130340
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-2   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: STEVE KARK CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: PEARISBURG                                LENGTH: Medium

NEW BUDGET BY SCHOOL BOARD SHOWS 3 PERCENT RISE OVER '91-'92

The budget, which now must be approved by the county Board of Supervisors, includes a 4 1/2 percent raise for all school employees.

The budget also includes a 31 percent increase in health insurance rates. The average school employee, however, will be unaffected by the increase. Under the new budget the county will pick up the tab for individual baseline insurance for school employees.

Of the $142 per month now paid for this service, the county pays $100. If next year's budget wins the supervisors' approval, the county will pay all of the $188 monthly cost for each employee.

Referring to the small increase in next year's budget compared to the one this year, at-large board member Philip Morris said, "Any time we can keep our cost increases low yet give a raise to employees is good."

Superintendent Robert McCracken also presented a new sick-leave plan for the School Board's consideration. The plan would create a "sick leave bank" for employees who have exhausted their sick-leave days due to catastrophic illness.

Those employees would be able to draw up to 50 additional sick-leave days from the program without having to pay them back. McCracken said that would save seriously ill employees from worry about missing a lot of work without pay.

Two-thirds of the 300 employees who work for the school system already have agreed to participate. Employees normally earn one day of sick leave for each month they work. Each has agreed to donate one of these days to the bank to get it started.

McCracken said the plan demonstrates the employees' willingness to help each other out in times of need. Other members agreed that the program was good for the school system.

Central District member Bruce Hedrick said the plan is "evidence that those in the system want to address the problems of those with special needs."

Vice Chairman Ronald Whitehead commended the program as "a positive move."

Before the sick-leave bank becomes official policy, it will be reconsidered and voted on at the next School Board meeting. If it passes, McCracken said he hopes to see it implemented by July 1.