BEDFORD — After an “agonizing” budget process, the Bedford County School Board voted Thursday to lay off 19 employees because of fiscal cuts.
The employees represent 17.6 positions and include 10 first-year teachers and three second-year teachers, school spokesman Ryan Edwards said.
The board’s vote came after several residents and students asked that it not consider eliminating an assistant director position that would affect the music department at Forest Middle School and Jefferson Forest High School.
“Cutting this position will be crippling to our program,” said Jamie Bagwell, a JF student.
Several also spoke against transferring a music teacher from the schools’ program to Bedford Middle School.
The board recently approved a $98.8 million budget that was some $7 million less than the current budget. It becomes effective July 1.
Edwards said the new budget includes reducing more than 60 positions, but most of those would be offset by retirements and attrition. There is a recall policy in place in case some could be brought back to fill later possible openings.
Last year the board cut 15 positions and enacted a recall. “All 15 were brought back,” Edwards said.
Superintendent Douglas Schuch initially recommended 124 layoffs prior to the adoption of a new state budget in March that restored $3.5 million to the division, among other positive changes. However, Schuch said next year promises to be just as challenging and the division might lose more than $4 million if state and federal cuts stand.
“We believe we’re going to need additional county money,” Schuch said, referring to a greater local contribution from the Bedford County Board of Supervisors to help offset the expected state and federal cuts.
Gary Hostutler, the board member representing Forest, said he could understand the public concerns regarding the area’s band program but noted the “extremely tough” budget year.
“Every school is being affected by these cuts,” Hostutler said. “This has been an excruciating process. A lot things we don’t like to do ... we’re trying to balance everything as best as we can.”
Chris Watts, head football coach at Liberty High School, told board members he has concerns with charging fees for extracurricular activities. The “pay to play” measure could hurt student morale and lead to a decline in grades and testing.
“A lot of these kids, that’s all they have,” Watts said of athletics. “I’ll encourage you to look other places.”
Chairwoman Debbie Hoback said the board has not decided on a dollar amount yet for the fees and no revenue was generated from fees in the new budget.
“We’re not out of the woods with this,” Hostutler said of financial challenges facing the division.
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