SNOW HILL – The Worcester County Commissioners are seeking answers to a variety of financial questions now that they have a detailed school system budget to review.
The commissioners last week sent a letter to the Worcester County Board of Education asking for clarification on a number of items in the school system’s budget. Commissioner Chip Bertino, president of the board, said the county simply needed to gain a more accurate understanding of the Worcester County Public Schools (WCPS) budget and policies.
“It is not in the community’s best interest for anyone to draw any sorts of conclusions about the questions asked or the motivation of those questions beyond the commissioners’ desire to better understand what was provided by the board of education,” Bertino said.
In May, the commissioners voted to provide the school system with a maintenance of effort budget, funding WCPS at the same level it was funded last year. While educators were forced to make cuts, as the requested budget was more than 4% higher than it was last year, commissioners pointed to the fact that if other post-employment benefit funding was taken into account, the county was still funding WCPS at unprecedented levels.
When WCPS officials started addressing what they described as misinformation regarding school system spending that was circulating in the community, county officials submitted a Public Information Act request to generate a response to requests for budget details they initially submitted in April.
Apparently the FOIA forced the school system’s hand and now they have everything laid bare. I expect the county commissioners will find many areas that were hidden and funded either improperly or intentionally (like guidance counselor supplies that run 11k but had 5 times that amount budgeted).
Teachers – if you have a complaint about you salary, blame your central office for their shady budgeting.
Thank You Commissioners!