Lee County continues to consider school cuts
District agrees to buy several Cape lots, though

by Jason Wermers
June 4, 2008

As many as 60 Lee County School District employees - 40 support staff and 20 teachers - could lose their jobs as the district continues to make budget cuts for fiscal year 2008-09.

But it is likely the instructors will find other positions elsewhere in the district because class-size limits required by the state are expected to create enough openings to accommodate them, said Gregory Adkins, the district´s human resources director.

The threat of layoffs comes at a time the district´s enrollment has grown by just 100 students, to 78,583, in the last year, compared with average growths in recent years of between 3,000 and 5,000 students.

And Lee is facing a revenue shortfall of as much as $30 million for the next fiscal year and still needs to cut more than $15 million in spending to balance the budget.

Despite the poor financial picture, the school board agreed Tuesday to buy three northern Cape Coral properties - each large enough to hold a school - for a total of $8.9 million.

The money used to buy the land comes from the capital budget, while the money for employee salaries comes from the operating budget. Those are two separate funds.

Adkins said he is optimistic no teachers will be laid off, as will fewer than 30 support staff.

“We really feel at this point that we can continue to get all of those (teachers) placed,” he said during a school board briefing meeting Tuesday. “We hope we don´t have to look at a reduction in that category.”

It appears inevitable that even more employees, on top of the 150 positions - like district office workers and bus drivers - that were announced last month as being eliminated for fiscal 2008-09, will be cut.

The employees whose positions were discussed Tuesday have been placed on a “surplus list.” Those with most seniority will then be able to take jobs held by less-experienced employees, and those less-experienced employees would be laid off.

Superintendent James Browder will meet with principals next week to review schools´ staffing levels. From that meeting, a final surplus list will be developed and presented to the school board for a vote June 17.

Employees who end up losing their jobs will be eligible to be rehired, or “recalled” by the school district. For up to two years after being laid off, these employees have the right of first refusal when a position similar to the one they held becomes vacant, Adkins said.

This was the backdrop facing the board when it was asked to vote on buying the Cape Coral land. It approved all purchases on separate 4-1 votes for these pieces of land from Thieman Enterprises:

· 26.4 acres on Northwest 11th Place for $2.8 million

· 23 acres on Northwest 15th Terrace for $2.3 million

· 27.8 acres on Northeast 27th Terrace for $3.8 million

Robert Chilmonik, whose district includes part of Cape Coral, was lone dissenter.

“I am not going to be able to support this tonight because of our cash situation,” he said. “I can´t support buying land in a time of cutting employees.”

Board Chairwoman Jeanne S. Dozier said she would vote on behalf of Chilmonik´s constituents in Cape Coral.

“This is in your district, Mr. Chilmonik,” Dozier said. “I will vote for seats in your district so children can be educated.”

Other board members said not buying the land would be shortsighted. Browder said buying the land now, while prices are low, will save the district money in the future.