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Crittenden Press, Marion, June 19, 2008
Board cuts resource officer, ups meal rates
To make ends meet next year, Crittenden County Board of Education on
Tuesday cut on-site security at the middle and high schools and
increased the price of student meals as much as 35 cents.
Eliminating the school resource officer’s position created two years ago
will save the school system $24,000. While cutting the position started
under his leadership was a difficult decision for Superinten-dent John
Belt, $250,000 more in additional cuts will still be needed in order to
balance the school system’s upcoming $10 million budget.
“We’re coming closer to a balanced budget, but we are not there yet,” he
said.
The position of resource officer, funded with an additional $6,000 each
from the fiscal court and City of Marion, was held by Deputy Greg
Rushing, who was provided by the Crittenden County Sheriff’s Department.
Other school positions and services have also been cut or scaled back to
reduce costs for the district.
Though Rushing will not necessarily be out of a job, Sheriff Wayne Agent
may be faced with cutting staff without the additional funding.
Another significant step by the board of education in addressing the
budget was approving an increase in school meal prices. Food Services
Director Janet Stevens said the bump in both breakfast and lunch prices
was needed to offset growing food costs.
“Last year, milk was up 26 percent and the cost of food 12 percent,”
Stevens said. “And that’s not even what it’s going to be this year.”
Breakfast will up 20 cents across the board to students beginning this
fall. Lunch at the middle and high schools will be 35 cents more and 30
cents at CCES. Reduced-rate lunch prices will not change.
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