Neshaminy Counts Every Penny To Reduce District's Budget Deficit

Neshaminy School District Superintendent Louis Muenker proposed even more cuts Tuesday that would save the district $4.6 million.

The $156.9 million 2011-2012 budget started off with an approximately $11.3 million deficit, but the deficit was reduced to $6.4 million with Muenker’s proposed cuts. Muenker initially discussed programming and staffing cuts on April 26.

During Tuesday’s school board meeting, Muenker presented more cost-saving measures that total a savings of $4.6 million.

Some of the cuts included eliminating a guidance department chair, a middle school physical education department chair, a high school art/music department chair, a library department chair, a foreign language department chair, a technology education department chair and a family consumer sciences department chair. The elimination of these stipend positions could save the district about $85,000.

By reducing summer employee help, that is utilized to prepare the buildings for the beginning of the school year, the district could save $100,000, Muenker said. He also proposed the reduction of teaching staff at The Learning Center to save the district $138,582.

Additional proposed staffing eliminations included a high school forensics assistant, high school ninth grade head and assistant wrestling coaches, a high school honor society assistant and a middle school yearbook assistant. Muenker also proposed reducing the high school winter track coaches to one head varsity coach and two assistants; currently there are six winter track coaches. These eliminations and reductions total a savings of $20,763.

Muenker also said that by employing some IU instructors for special education instruction and support the district could save $519,792.

In addition, he announced that the district received a second look at insurance adjustments two weeks ago, resulting in a savings of $800,000.

Muenker said many of the cuts and reductions he proposed Tuesday are “small bits of money” that add up in the end.

“We’ve gotten a second look that is favorable,” board President Ritchie Webb said of the second look.

The $4.6 million additional cuts Muenker proposed Tuesday would reduce the overall budget deficit to $3.2 million.

“We’re going to continue to keep an eye on any other reductions that can be made,” Muenker said, emphasizing that the budget is a “working document.”

“A lot of things are up in the air right now,” Webb said, noting that the district has yet to receive fuel bids and that Gov. Tom Corbett’s state budget may change.

“Things will be more definitive in June,” he said. The board is scheduled to approve the final 2011-2012 budget June 21.