The Anne Arundel County Council wants to know why the school system is cutting 65 teaching positions and using surplus money from the school employees? health care insurance fund to free up $13 million.
“I?m trying to figure out how the funds are being used … There better be a good reason,” said Councilwoman Cathy Vitale, R-Severna Park.
School officials want the council?s approval of a budget transfer that includes taking $3.9 million from the health care fund, reassigning 15 current teachers to other positions and leaving 50 other teaching positions vacant.
In addition, the school system wants $2 million from county coffers because electricity costs and improvements at Annapolis High School exceeded expectations.
The request was not met favorably during Tuesday?s council work session as three of the four council members present questioned the use of the health care fund.
County Auditor Teresa Sutherland also said she was worried that the projected health care fund balance may not be accurate.
The health care fund comes from employee and employer contributions and pays for medical claims. If the fund goes into the red, either premiums are raised or taxpayer dollars are used to balance the account.
Assistant Schools Superintendent Greg Nourse said Tuesday the shuffling of funds is needed to offset budget cuts made by the council.
The surplus health care funds will be used to pay fixed health care costs, which frees up money for other school needs, Nourse said.
“This is nothing out of the ordinary from the last few years,” Nourse said. “If they want additional information, we?ll be happy to give it to them.”
The council has pulled from the health care surplus fund before to help pay other expenses, but the amount will dwindle down to less than $1 million if the school system?s request is approved.
Nourse also said the teacher positions that could be cut or left vacant will not adversely affect class sizes.
“I?m recommending the council not approve this because they want to take money health insurance fund, and the Board of Educationneeds to explain it all,” Sutherland said.
