Harford County Board of Education: Proposed FY13 Operating Budget; Employee Wage Increase Discussion

From the Harford County Board of Education:

The Board of Education of Harford County met in for a public budget work session and an open business meeting on Monday, January 9, 2012, in the Board Room of the HCPS/A.A. Roberty Building and took the following the actions or received the following presentations:

Received public comment on the Superintendent’s Proposed FY13 Operating Budget. (www.hcps.org/budget)

Participated in Budget Discussion #1. Below you will find some of the highlights from that discussion:

– This is the ninth consecutive year that HCPS has won the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) award for distinguished budget presentation.

– Recognized as having one of the highest minority participation in procuring contractors for projects. HCPS is required to report monthly the number of the contractor dollars procured by minority contractors.

– HCPS is part of health care consortium with the Harford County Government and Harford Community College in order to reduce our administrative fees with respect to health care.

– The FY2013 budget strategies were to preserve the integrity of the instructional programs and maintain a competitive salary structure.

– The FY2013 Proposed Operating Budget request is $471, 827,994, which is an increase of $17,843,892 over FY2012.

– Since 2009, HCPS has reduced 112 positions, with majority of those positions eliminated through attrition.

– The proposed increase in the salary/wages line item reflects the Boards goal of maintaining a competitive salary structure within the market, especially with neighboring counties. As a result of no step increases or Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA) for the past three years, it is the Board’s intent with this budget to avoid falling further behind. By law, the Board is required to negotiate with each of the five bargaining units in Harford County to establish salary, wages and other working conditions. As such, in order to bargain in good faith, no outcomes regarding this increase have been defined at this time. The Board will collaborate with the bargaining units to reach such an agreement.

– Summary – Throughout the budget process, the Board and staff have attempted to balance the ambitious vision of HCPS with financial constraints. While this balance is not easy, the Board has developed a budget that will empower HCPS to effectively and efficiently strive to carry out the education mission to provide quality educational services for all students every day.

Adjourned the budget work session at 8:35 p.m. and called to order the business meeting at 8:45 p.m.

Approved the Consent Agenda:

– Affirmation of Monthly Contract Awards

– Minutes of Previous Meetings:

December 19, 2012

– Appointment of Negotiating Team

Received the Superintendent’s Report which:

– Announced the launching of a Cybersafety webpage. In order to maximize awareness and communication with parents, students and the community about cybersafety and cyberbullying, Harford County Public Schools launched a new page on the school system website today, www.hcps.org. The HCPS Cybersafety page features resources about online safety for elementary, middle and high school students and their parents. Links for age-appropriate videos, websites and brochures are available, as well as a link to report incidents of cyberbullying. This new, informational site is just one piece of a larger Cybersafety Awareness campaign designed to reduce incidents of cyberbullying in Harford County. The team responsible for the development of the campaign consists of representatives from the Harford County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Harford County Government Office of Drug Policy Control, the Harford County Boys & Girls Club, the Harford County Council of PTAs and numerous HCPS departments. The effort is led by HCPS Director of Community Engagement, Equity and Cultural Proficiency Dr. Jonathan Brown. Log on towww.hcps.org and click the Cybersafety button on the homepage.

– Announced that Edgewood Middle School made history by producing ‘The Edge,’ the first student publication. Expressed appreciation for the Faculty Advisor and the Editorial Staff.