RUSTBURG — Almost all who spoke at a Campbell County Schools budget hearing Monday shared a similar message: Don’t close our schools.
More than 130 people packed into the Campbell County Technical Center for the hearing.
Most of the 11 people who spoke during the half-hour hearing called for Gladys Elementary to remain open. Some proposed alternative ideas for making budget reductions, such as cutting central office and administrative staff.
Kim Camargo, who has a child enrolled at Gladys Elementary, said she had a petition signed by more than 1,500 people to keep the school open.
Speakers included several Gladys residents who worried that closing the school could devastate the small community, even though they do not have children in county schools.
“I’ve heard several people in our church say they will leave (if the school closes),” said Grace Farmer, who lives in Gladys. “Everyone involved in the south end (of the county) will suffer.”
Two speakers argued to keep open the Fray Educational Center, the county’s alternative school.
Faevion Marshall, a former Fray student, told the school board members he owes where he is today to Fray.
“They taught me to grow up and be a better man,” said Marshall, who will soon begin college at Universal Technical Institute in North Carolina. “That school is very special to me.”
At the school board meeting following the hearing, Superintendent Robert Johnson told those assembled that the deficit for next year could grow beyond his working number of more than $7.8 million, which is based on a budget proposed by former Gov. Timothy M. Kaine.
He said that rough estimates prepared by the division suggested additional cuts of $2.6 million if the House’s version of the budget passes and up to $1 million if the Senate’s version passes. Johnson also said that if the House version passes, the division might have to cut out its pre-K programs.
Johnson did, however, provide a glimmer of hope for Fray. He said that Campbell County Administrator David Laurrell had asked him to prepare an estimate of a bare-bones operating budget for the school. Johnson said that Laurrell told him that he felt the school was important to the overall well-being of the county.
Johnson estimated that he could operate Fray on a bare-bones budget of $500,000 annually, roughly half its current cost.
That would mean eliminating 10 full-time positions and all transportation to and from the facility. It would also mean eliminating sixth and seventh grades from the school, which currently serves sixth through 12th grades.
Johnson is expected to present a draft budget, and the school board will discuss adoption of the budget March 15.
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