ORANGE : School Board Delays Making Staff Cuts

Balking at eliminating jobs before the holidays, the Orange Unified School District trustees voted 5 to 1 this week to delay a decision about cutbacks until Jan. 28.

Chief financial officer Joyce Capelle proposed cutting 35 jobs to close a $480,000 shortfall in the district’s $107-million budget. About half of the proposed cuts would come through layoffs and the remainder from unfilled positions and early retirement, said Capelle.

“I’m very concerned about issuing layoff notices before Christmas,” said Trustee Bob Viviano at Monday night’s special meeting. “These people have families.”

But Trustee Bill Lewis, who cast the dissenting vote, said the cutbacks, though regrettable, are the fiscally responsible decision. Trustee James Fearns was absent.

The board’s move means the district will not qualify for a sound financial ranking from the county Department of Education for the first time in three years. The new ranking may jeopardize the district’s credit ratings, thereby increasing its debt costs, Capelle said.

Instead, the board accepted a “qualified” financial ranking and pinned its hopes on labor negotiations with the classified employees union to provide the district with more savings. Trustees expressed hope that modifications in the union’s insurance plans would save some jobs.

Corey urged the board to accept the lower financial ranking for the sake of longer-term financial gains.

The board’s vote Monday night upset Capelle.

“We instituted Draconian measures to keep the district solvent” over the last three years, Capelle said. “With the board’s action, I watched all that work go down the toilet.”