Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Budget And Staffing topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Union leaders question hiring of new transportation post as district plans deep staff cuts
Summary
Union leaders told the board that the district is adding an assistant supervisor of safety and transportation with a salary above $104,000 while earlier reduction plans and an interfund loan indicate the general fund is under severe strain.
Representatives from the Tumwater School District unions told the board they are alarmed that the district posted a job for an "assistant supervisor of safety and transportation" with a starting salary of $104,229 while the district is pursuing deep staffing cuts and has taken or proposed internal loans to cover payroll.
Heather Cooley, PSC union president, joined by Christina Dilworth of TOPA, summarized district financial communications and board actions: Superintendent Kevin Bogatins Oct. 11 email showed a general fund cash balance of $5,440,000, down from $9,340,000 at the same date the prior year; the unions said the district later submitted reduction-in-program plans to cut 27 positions (Jan. 23) and 36 additional positions plus 91.7 paraeducator hours (Feb. 13). The board also authorized drafting a $4,000,000 interfund loan from capital projects to cover payroll and other expenses, the unions said.
Union leaders told the board the district reported a month-end cash balance of $2,060,000 (propped up by a $3,600,000 interfund loan), and they calculated an adjusted balance of negative $1,530,000 after accounting for the loan. The unions asked where funding for the new administrative transportation position would come from and questioned the timing given a stated hiring freeze and plans for mass reductions. They noted the district has operated without a transportation assistant supervisor in prior years and highlighted declines in contracted drivers and student riders compared with earlier years (56 drivers and 5,668 transported students in 2017-18 vs. 46 drivers and 4,873 students this fall in their figures).
The transcript shows union leaders requested clarification about the source of funds for the posted position and asked the board to reconcile a hiring freeze with a simultaneous recruitment for a high-cost administrative role. The board/staff did not record a formal response on those points in the public record during this meeting segment.
