Boone County school board rejects state-mandated cuts


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FOSTER, W.Va. (AP) — The Boone County school board has voted to reject orders from state Schools Superintendent Michael Martirano to severely cut employee pay and benefits and lay off workers.

The state rejected the budget that the school board submitted for the 2016-2017 school year, according to local media reports. In response, the state offered a plan that would have funded the district without a budget in place through July, but proposed dozens of layoffs and pay cuts.

The orders also included a directive to cut $169,000 for textbooks and to add $90,000 in funding for flood insurance, which the school district hadn't budgeted for.

The board voted 5-0 on Thursday to reject the plan.

School board president Mark Sumpter and Boone County Superintendent John Hudson said they received Martirano's directives on Wednesday evening. State education officials said they had been in near-daily contact with Boone officials throughout June

Sumpter said the cuts were too sweeping at a time when the district has already closed four schools, laid off more than 70 employees and is facing financial issues because of the decline of the coal economy.

In June, state lawmakers and the governor gave Boone County schools an extra $2.2 million to help pay employees through the end of the fiscal year.

"I could not, in good conscience, approve a budget for the 2016-17 year with the knowledge of the impending cash-flow issues and lack of viable solutions," Martirano said.

The new fiscal year began Friday. It's unclear if the district will be funded because of the board's decision.

Department of Education spokeswoman Kristin Anderson said the department will communicate with Superintendent-elect Jeff Huffman and "develop formal written guidance outlining next steps."

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