Saying, "It can't hurt to ask," the Cumberland County Board of Education will return to the Cumberland County Budget Committee with a budget still showing a deficit of about $750,000.

"I don't think there's anything in there we don't need for our schools," said Director of Schools Aarona VanWinkle. "I think this is a good budget. There is no fluff in there."

The BOE began its budget work session Tuesday with a $4.5 million deficit but cut projected expenses for buses, textbooks, teachers and programs to whittle down the number. They also anticipate using $1.2 million of the estimated $2.5 million fund balance to narrow the gap between expenses and revenue.

Dan Schlafer, 9th District representative, worried the county would reject any budget that was not balanced.

"I'm wondering what would be the benefit to sit here and come down with whatever cuts we need for a balanced budget and give the county two options," Schlafer said. "Past history and the way the economy is, I don't see that we are going to get that much more."

The budget already includes an additional two cents revenue on the county property tax rate recommended by the budget committee last week. It is estimated the school system would need an additional 5.5 cents on the property tax rate to make up the deficit.

A new law recently passed by the state legislature will allow the school system to use buses longer, provided they pass required inspections. That will reduce the number of buses the system needs to purchase this year from eight to three, saving $390,000.

Another $50,000 was cut from estimated fuel costs.

The school system had anticipated $910,000 in textbook purchases for history and science textbooks for all grades. By eliminating textbooks for kindergarten through second grade, the system can shave $310,000 off textbook costs.

"We have resources online for those grades," noted Schlafer.

The budget includes the cost of replacing worn out books and buying additional books to ensure every student has a textbook when school begins.

The BOE had budgeted $1.6 million for a building project at Pleasant Hill Elementary to alleviate overcrowding at that school. That project was removed from the budget, with board members saying the county may allow a bond to be issued for the project. Funding for sewer projects at North Cumberland and Pleasant Hill were also removed because the projects will be completed before July 1.

"The county has some large projects they are going to have to address, too," said Bob Scarbrough, 5th District representative. "Some have said they were willing to use some of the revenue from the fly ash project for us."

The board agreed to eliminate the Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps program, saving $105,000. Driver's education was previously cut.

The board also cut three teaching positions for science, math and over-crowded classrooms.

The budget does include step raises and a one-time one percent bonus for employees.

After reviewing the budget, Schlafer said, "There's just no where to cut. We're nickel and diming it."

One issue pressing the budget is a 10 percent increase in medical insurance premiums. The school system budgeted three percent to cover an anticipated six percent increase in January. The system was notified in the past two weeks the premiums would increase 10 percent beginning in January, calling for a five percent increase in the budget.

"That has rolled back and forth," VanWinkle said. "We were told six percent. Then we were told there wouldn't be an increase. We thought that would be a place to cut from our budget to save some expenditures."

That adds an estimated $220,000 to the budget.

Eight custodial positions that had been removed from the budget last year were added back to the budget, adding about $96,000 in expenditures.

"If at all possible, we need to hang on to them," VanWinkle said. "We put our schools in a hardship. They don't have enough help."

Scarbrough said later, "We've cut a lot of things tonight. The only reservation I have is adding any new positions."

During the special-called meeting, Roger Hyder, 4th District representative, moved to approve the budget with the proposed changes, seconded by Richard Janeway, 2nd District representative. Jim Blalock, 8th District representative, moved to amend the motion to request the county fund a construction project at Pleasant Hill through debt service, seconded by Schlafer. The amendment and the budget changes were unanimously approved.

The budget will return to the budget committee for consideration. VanWinkle expected to meet with the committee early next week and said she could return to the board with their recommendations at the regularly scheduled meeting Thursday.