SUFFOLK

Proposed raises for school employees may have to be lowered because the city manager has released a recommended budget that includes about $3 million less than the school division requested.

At Thursday’s Suffolk School Board meeting, Superintendent Milton Liverman mentioned raise reductions among the cost-cutting measures that may be needed to cover the possible shortfall to the 2008-09 education budget.

Other options Liverman suggested include eliminating some new positions, postponing technology upgrades and equipment purchases, and reducing the funding allotted to move students in the night alternative program to a daytime setting.

Liverman said he doesn’t want to give employees less than a 3 percent raise. All the School Board members – excluding Vice Chairman James Perkinson and John Riddick Sr., who were absent – said providing raises should remain the division’s top budget priority.

Suffolk Public Schools employees would receive an average 5 percent raise under the $155.6 million budget proposal approved by the board three weeks ago. That plan calls for a 10 percent increase in local funding for a total contribution of roughly $50.1 million.

However, the proposed budget released earlier this week by City Manager Selena Cuffee-Glenn keeps school funding flat, except for $1.5 million needed to open the new Hillpoint Elementary School in the fall.

School Board member Michael J. Debranski called the allotment “a loss” that leaves the division “behind the curve with inflation.”

Michael K. Brinkley, executive director of finance, said earlier in the week that the division may have no choice but to lower proposed raises.

Salaries and benefits make up 80 percent of the total budget. An average 5 percent raise for all employees would cost the division about $4.7 million.

Last year, the division’s proposed raises were lowered from an average of 5 percent to 2.5 percent to balance the budget.

Hattie Brown Garrow, (757) 222-5562, hattie.brown@pilotonline.com [1]