NO FURLOUGHS UNLESS WE AGREE: FOR NOW, WE DO NOT

School Officials Edge Closer to Furloughs By Louis McGill SUN Staff Writer Published: Thursday, November 8, 2012 10:02 AM MST The Española School District began discussions with the local chapter of the National Education Association union Oct. 30 in an effort to find ways to control the District’s dangerously tight budget. In the meeting, Superintendent Art Blea met with union president Lucille Holguin, vice president for classified staff Keera Abeyta, vice president for certified staff Kim Avila, and state union liaison Charles Goodmacher to talk about the possibility of furloughs and other options for the District to save money. Blea said the union was not in agreement with furloughs or reductions in force as a means to balance the budget. “Furloughs and balancing the district’s budget on the backs of its employees are the very last items for consideration as far as Espanola-NEA is concerned,” Holguin said. [YOUR Espanola-NEA has the power to block furloughs, or other severe cuts affecting staff and students - ONLY because members support the Union and make it possible for us to negotiate and enforce the Collective Bargaining Agreement. If you're not yet a member, join today to add to our power to help you! ] Among other ideas presented at the meeting were switching to a four-day week and canceling school completely on half-days, Goodmacher said. Other smaller cost-cutting suggestions included eliminating one-touch dialing on the phone system, decreasing the School Board stipend, and suspending the current after-school facilities use policy. Goodmacher said the District will be sending out a survey to solicit cost-cutting ideas from the whole staff. The District cannot unilaterally implement furloughs or reductions in force, however. The District must submit information to both the state and the union to show there is a legitimate financial crisis which calls for drastic action like this, Blea said. Holguin said there are several questions they still need answered, such as if there has been an absolute hiring freeze implemented for this year, if all out-of-district travel, including Board travel, has been suspended, and if the District has applied for one-time emergency supplemental funding from the Public Education Department. Restrictions Even if furloughs are used, Blea said there are legal restrictions on who can be furloughed. Level one, level two and level three teachers and teacher assistants have guaranteed base salaries, which the District cannot cut below. So, new teachers making the minimum salary or teachers who just gained a level could not be furloughed because their salary would drop below that line, he said. However, teachers who have salaries in excess of these minimums could legally be furloughed down to their level’s base salary. “There’s an impression out there that these are just for teachers,” Blea said. “A furlough day would start with me and go all the way down.” However, as the submission date of the District’s audit draws closer, Blea said they are getting a clearer picture of their finances, which is good news for the District. The final cash balance from last year is coming in as roughly $1.3 million rather than the $1.1 million Finance Director Jeannette Trujillo reported to the School Board Oct. 24. This addresses $200,000 of the deficit. The final cash balance the District originally budgeted for last summer was $1.5 million. “Hopefully between that and maybe some attrition through resignations and early retirements, and other savings we can figure out, I would hope to avoid furloughs and (reductions in force) all together,” Blea said. Even with this good news, Blea said the problem isn’t quite solved. He said the District can’t simply break even, since the money left over at the end of this school year makes up the funds they need to start school next year. Goodmacher said the union leadership will be meeting with Blea again after Thanksgiving.