NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. -- The Niagara Falls School District is getting ready to make due with dozens fewer employees, including teachers. It wasn't unexpected, but it still came as a blow.
"It never makes it easier when people are laid off, programs are being cut, our kids are going to be in classrooms that are stuffed to the max," said Maria Pedulla, executive vice president for Niagara Falls Teachers Local 801.
The Niagara Falls Board of Education voted Thursday to abolish 47 positions. Board President Russell Petrozzi said the cuts helped close a large budget gap facing the district.
"We whittled it down by one-shot revenues, reserves and items of that nature. Got it down to about $1.5 million, and the last $1.5 million did end up being job elimination," said Petrozzi.
A teachers union representative says around 15 of the eliminated positions are teaching jobs the district is getting rid of through layoffs or attrition.
Several speakers at Thursday's meeting say they're also concerned about the impact other losses will have.
"You take it for granted that there's going to be a classroom associate to help out in a special ed room. You take it for granted that if you don't feel well and you go to the clinic that not just (a registered nurse) but a health associate is going to be there," said Barbara Rodgers, who's retiring next week from her job as a librarian at Niagara Falls High School. She said her position is not one of those that will be eliminated since it's mandated by the state.
But this wasn't the only move teachers spoke out against. Members also voted to accept $75,000 from the city to fund a Summer Camp program at the high school, while the district will pay $65,000. Board members said the offer of help from the city is something they didn't have a week ago and told employees they'd keep working to possibly restore positions.
"We never stop," said Petrozzi. "Every day we turn over another rock and see what we can find."
As for dipping into reserves, as some speakers asked the district to do, board members said they're headed into the next fiscal year with $600,000. Petrozzi said that's well below the $3 million that would be considered a healthy reserve fund for a district this size.