Brecksville-Broadview Heights Board of Education Approves Staff Reductions, Discusses District’s Finances

The Brecksville-Broadview Heights Board of Education approved more staff reductions during last night’s meeting at the . 

The latest set of reductions impacted the jobs of more than 20 employees, most of them classified staff members like custodians and special education assistants. Most of the reductions were full contract reductions, although one employee retained a 50 percent contract and another was set to be transferred to a different department.

Little was said on the reductions, but Board President George J. Balasko said before the vote that it was unfortunate that another round of reductions was necessary.

The board spent a large amount of time on the district’s financial state – a topic that has dominated the board’s conversations in recent months. At the and a , board members discussed more ways to cut costs. The district saw a , and administrators expect to lose a significant portion of the district’s funding in the state’s budget.  

The board also heard a presentation on the district’s five-year financial forecast, focusing on changes from the May projections to the ones made in November. Karen E. Obratil, the district’s treasurer/chief financial officer, said the current forecast is based on the governor’s executive budget proposal. That proposal has changed in the legislature, and any changes that become part of the final budget could impact the district’s financial outlook. The forecast currently predicts that the Brecksville-Broadview Heights City School District would lose nearly $3 million from the state next fiscal year.  

According to the forecast, the district is expected to reach a zero cash balance in fiscal year 2013, despite making . 

Obratil went over this forecast during the May 23 meeting, but this presentation was designed to further explain the changes from the November to the May forecasts.