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Huber Heights to cut $1.3 million from budget

But board spares JROTC program and teaching positions.

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By Marc Katz, Staff Writer 12:22 AM Friday, February 10, 2012

HUBER HEIGHTS — The Huber Heights Board of Education voted Thursday night to cut about $1.3 million from its 2012-13 budget, but spared its JROTC program and two teaching positions.

The board made cuts from 21 areas, including administrative assistants, transportation and junior high school athletics. It also eliminated art in the elementary schools.

Eighteen positions were designated to be cut, including a nurse, a counselor and an assistant principal

Most of the 200 people, including about 100 cadets turned out for the meeting at Monticello Elementary School to support keeping the JROTC program. The U. S. Air Force pays the majority of costs for the program, but the school district pays $100,000 to cover half the salary of the two teachers associated with it.

The board was considering eliminating the military program after learning funding for the program from the Air Force might be cut next school year.

“I can’t help but be proud of our cadets. We received two letters from the Air Force that indicated they were making cuts. That doesn’t make it any easier.

“We have to dig deeper. Everyone of these items is important,” said William Kirby, superintendent.

An audience member speaking at Thursday’s meeting estimated that about 10 to 15 percent of the cadets go into the Air Force.

Reductions in state funding for schools was the start of a downward trend that Huber Heights and other districts are trying to patch with levies.

Last November, Huber Height’s 8-mill levy failed by almost a 3-to-1 ratio. With no new operating revenue, the district faces a $2.5 million deficit in 2013.

The district decided not to put a levy on the March 6 ballot.

Eventually, with about $1.4 million in reductions scheduled for the 2012-13 school year, Huber Heights will have cut $8 million from the budget during the past two years. The district’s budget is $66 million.

The transportation cuts will reduce transportation for preschoolers. The board previously cut bus service to the high school students next year and increased the walking distance for other students.

The junior high will only have one team for each sport next year.

Board president Mark Combs said, “We came together. That’s what we need to do as a community — come together.’’

The former president of the board, Carl Fisher opposed the cuts. He expressed frustration with how the schools are funded and called for more state involvement. “I understand we don’t have the money, but we don’t have to make these cuts. Let someone else make these cuts.... We have something that has to be done or we will continue dismantle programs,” he said

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