Crestwood furlough plan again evokes strong reaction

WRIGHT TWP. – Thursday’s monthly Crestwood School Board Meeting lasted some three hours, with the overwhelming amount of time again spent on the proposal to furlough teachers in order to staunch a projected $2.7 million shortfall as the 2023-24 budget is developed.

The agenda only included mention of voting for a resolution “with the intent to suspend professional employees for economic reasons that require a reduction in professional employees,” without offering the resolution itself. Asked early in the public comment section, Solicitor Jack Dean read the full resolution.

It noted the $2.7 million deficit, estimated the savings from proposed furloughs at about $2 million, and cited other efforts to save money, including eliminating the post of full-time transportation director for a “shared services” plan, eliminating the full-time human resource manager post, eliminating the full-time business manager and using a consultant and volunteer, not filling several assistant administrative posts, and reducing supply spending and the athletic budget.

Several people, including teachers, raised questions about health insurance costs, projected to rise substantially and thus creating a big part of the deficit. During the back and forth, the board explained that the teacher union had proposed a plan to save money but that it was deemed to have too little an impact on the looming shortfall. The board then proposed a change expected to save about $1.5 million, but that was rejected by a member of the union leadership.

Both sides are still open to discussion. Board members also noted the possibility of some form of “pay to play” by students for all sports and extra-curricular activities is still on the table.

Asked about various impacts of the furloughs, particularly class sizes, Superintendent Natasha Milazzo stressed several times that many questions could not be answered until the district sits down with union representatives to discuss the proposed cuts in detail. She said a meeting is set for Monday. She also pointed out several times that the board will hold a special meeting to vote for the furloughs once the details are worked out, and that the resolution under consideration did not finalize any cuts.

State law and teacher contracts create a complicated process known as “checker-boarding.” The district can propose furloughs, but teacher seniority and certifications can lead to different teachers ultimately being laid off in each case.

Asked if the number of furloughs was, as previously discussed, between 12 to 20 people, Dean stressed that, while those are the numbers currently suggested by the administration, it could be “between zero and 20.”

Dean said several times that state law and the teacher contact require early voting on the possibility of furloughs because of a timing issue. The state requires School Boards to approve a final budget by the end of June, often without knowing how much money the state will be giving the district. A preliminary budget must be approved about 30 days before that, and a resolution regarding potential furloughs must be approved at least 60 days before a final budget.

After more than two hours of public comment, the board approved the potential furlough resolution 7-2, with Jim Brogna and Randy Swank voting no.