School Board to Use Jobs Bill Money to Restore Furlough Days (NV)

October 1, 2010

Lyon County teachers and other school district employees won’t have to take furlough days this school year after all.

The Lyon County School District Board of Trustees voted Tuesday to use one-time federal funds appropriated to them through the Education Jobs and Medicaid Assistance Act to restore furlough days to all eligible members and non-members of the three bargaining units of the Lyon County School District.

In addition, the Trustees also said they wanted to place an item on the agenda of their next meeting to consider restoring the furlough days for the employees in the district office as well.
&#x0D ;

With the allocation of the funding from the Educations Jobs Funding Program, from which Lyon County received $3.4 million to be used this year and next, the Trustees decided they could use part of the money to reinstate the days that would have been lost to furloughs.

Because of declining revenues, the District negotiated furlough days, along with salary freezes, for the 2010-11 school year with its three bargaining units.

Under the agreements, teachers and all certified staff and classified 12-month staff were scheduled to take two furlough days during the 2010-11 school year.

Food service, transportation, paraprofessionals, and nurses would all take one furlough day, classified 12-month employees and secretaries, all certified staff and assistant principals would take two, principals would take three, directors in county administration would take four, the Deputy Superintendent would take five, and the Superintendent would take six.

However, the money from the Jobs Bill can only be used for on-site expenses, so the District would have to find another way to pay for restoring furlough days for those employees who work in the district office.

The cost to restore the furlough days for eligible employees is approximately $416,500. McIntosh said the cost for the other employees would be about $20,000, and she said Director of Finance Wade Johnson had assured her there would be money in the budget to cover that amount if the Board decided to restore the furlough days.

However, the Board unanimously expressed its desire to restore the furloughs for everyone, not just those employees represented by the bargaining units.

"If we’re going to rei nstate them for the bargaining units, let’s reinstate them for everybody who works for the Lyon County School District," chairman Neal McIntyre said.

Trustee James Huckaby raised the question about what would happen if employees still wanted to take the furlough days. One of the furlough days scheduled is the day before Thanksgiving.

With Tuesday’s action, the District will now hold classes that day, but it had been scheduled as a day off. McIntosh said the District will file a new school calendar with the State Department of Education showing instruction that day.

"Are we going to force someone to take the money if they won’t want to?" Huckaby asked.

"Some people may have scheduled a trip the day before Thanksgiving and may have purchased a ticket to Battle Mountain."

McIntosh said six employees, one classified employee and five members of the Lyon County Education Association have requested the furlough days, and she said she hoped the District and the bargaining groups could find a solution for them.

"I’m sure we can work together and get it all worked out," said Steve Fargan, the president of the Lyon County Education Association.