by justin strawser
COAL TOWNSHIP - The Northumberland County Career and Technology Center will be working hard to trim the 2011-12 budget in response to massive state cuts - a move that interim director John Bohn described as the "Great Depression of Education."
"It may not be enough, but we're still working on it," said Bohn Wednesday at the operating agency meeting.
There has already been $52,000 cut out of next year's budget, which is expected to be in the financial neighborhood of $2 million. Bohn said another 1 percent decrease is likely.
The office and maintenance staff, as well as Principal Robert Beierschmitt, have all committed to taking a pay freeze for the following year and the agency is in discussion with additional teaching staff to do the same.
"We're trying to trim as tight as possible and make it feasible for operation," he said.
Following the meeting, Line Mountain representative and president of the agency Dennis Erdman said the three school districts - Line Mountain, Shamokin Area and Mount Carmel Area - provide the money for their budget and require the NCCTC to cut.
"We have to look at the entire budget and see where we can make up the budget," he said.
He said the school districts are willing to decrease spending in response to the state cuts, but the districts need help.
"Don't make us the sacrificial lamb," he said.
Furthermore, the center is the process of moving into a senior-only program, which is expected to provide better service and education for the amount of money spent to send students to the Coal Township school, he said.
There are currently 120 students expected for the 11-12 school year.
A new director, which NCCTC has been searching for since last year, will be asked to provide a five-year plan for the school, said Erdman.
Neither the senior-only program nor the new director were discussed during the meeting.
It was the budget crunching that prompted Mount Carmel Area representative Michael Rovito to question why the school was planning on purchasing a 2004 Scissor Lift from Best Line Equipment at a cost of $9,500. The money had been previously allocated for this purpose.
His fellow MCA representative Rose Marquardt agreed.
"I know we have work, but we need to look at priorities. With everything and nothing coming, maybe we should wait," she said.
Bohn explained the lift was needed to do preventative maintenance that had been neglected for over 20 years, including work inside and outside the school. The last renovations were performed in 2002.
Shamokin Area School Board Director Daniel Venn said if it was a tool they needed to work, it was worth purchasing.
"You can't tell a guy to mow a lawn and not have a lawn mower," he said.
Shamokin Area representative Barry B. Rebuck and Venn made and seconded the motion to approve the purchase. It passed 4-0 with Marquardt and Rovito voting against the motion. Shamokin Area representative Todd Hockenbroch was absent from the meeting.
In other business, the members terminated the contract with Jones Financial Services and hired Charles Manello as a financial service provider for the remainder of the school year at $1,650 per month at 40 hours.