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Petaluma budget advisory committee to recommend $2 million in temporary-position cuts; board urges protecting mental-health staff
Summary
A district committee will vote Jan. 22 on recommendations to eliminate roughly $2 million in temporarily funded positions. Board members, students and staff urged protecting mental-health services and the district communications role while staff said the committee’s vote will be advisory to cabinet and the board.
The Petaluma City Schools budget advisory committee will vote Jan. 22 on recommendations to eliminate roughly $2 million in positions currently funded with temporary dollars, Business Services staff told the Board on Jan. 14.
The recommendation is to remove temporarily funded positions rather than institute broad districtwide layoffs, Amanda (Business services staff) said, and the committee’s decision will be advisory: cabinet and the superintendent will review any recommended eliminations before the board considers them. The committee met in public in September, October and November and moved to closed, voting-member-only sessions in January; staff added an extra meeting after members requested more time and information.
Why it matters: committee members, board trustees and student leaders said cuts risk eroding services students and families rely on now — especially counseling and mental-health supports. Several board members said communications work also should be protected because it coordinates outreach, crisis response and program promotion across sites.
The process and…
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