ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, January 20, 1996 TAG: 9601220020
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG
SOURCE: LISA APPLEGATE STAFF WRITER
The Montgomery County School Board is using Goals 2006 to guard its hefty budget proposal, should the Board of Supervisors try to tackle - and cut - it.
Thursday night, the School Board not only approved the superintendent's 12 percent increase over last year's budget, but raised the proposal by $152,000.
A few members tried to reduce the increase by cutting proposals member Mary Beth Dunkenberger termed icing on the cake, such as a Saturday art program and expansion of the adult education programs.
Members Jim Klagge and Bernie Jortner agreed and questioned how the Board of Supervisors would respond to a budget that requested an additional $4 million over last year.
"At this point, I don't really care what the supervisors will do," responded member Wat Hopkins. He added later, "This is our budget and I think we have a mandate from 2006. It's a grassroots movement ... and I think we should support it," he said.
Goals 2006 is a list of initiatives administrators hope will prepare schools and students for the 21st century.
Three weeks ago, Superintendent Herman Bartlett presented the School Board with a $53.1 million budget that included 2006 goals that weren't funded last year.
Plus, it included everything - from science and math supplies to the hiring of a volunteer coordinator - that the 2006 committee recommended for implementation this year.
Bartlett argued lack of support in previous years by the Board of Supervisors forced him to play catch-up and propose the dramatic increase. Last year, the supervisors funded just over half of the 8 percent spending increase requested.
A committee of parents and educators formed the 2006 committees several years ago and the administration uses their goals - which touch on everything from technology to adult literacy - when designing the budget.
"This may be more that the Board of Supervisor's can stomach," Bartlett conceded Thursday, "so we may want to reduce our appetite."
But in its final vote, the board passed the entire budget. The original vote was 6 to 3, but Klagge and Jortner changed their votes so that "we can present a united front," Jortner explained.
Barry Worth remained the sole dissenter. On at least three different occasions during the five hour deliberations, Worth tried to add an amendment, with no support from the other members.
His request - to add an additional eighth-grade teacher and a mobile unit at Auburn High and Middle School - failed because other members said they wanted to leave the designation of specific teacher posts up to the administration.
The budget does include provisions for 27 new teachers. On top of that, the board voted to add $78,000 to allow elementary school teacher planning time, $59,962 for elementary school secretaries and $8,500 to raise the Independence Secondary part-time secretary to full-time status.
Roy Vickers questioned why the board added supplemental funds for what he saw as last minute suggestions.
"We've been discussing this since Jan. 9," responded Chairwoman Annette Perkins. "It's our responsibility to review what the superintendent has presented and add what we feel is necessary for our schools."
A proposed 7 percent pay raise for all school employees passed as well. Within that increase, each employee group will have the option to add or increase benefits. Bus drivers, for example, will be able to implement full retirement benefits.
Tuesday, the School Board will hold a public hearing on the budget at Christiansburg High School beginning at 7:30 p.m. Following comments from the public, the board may opt to change its proposal before sending a final draft to the county.
"I want to hear from the public as to what's important to them," Klagge said.
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