MONROE COUNTY, Tenn. — While inflation has driven prices up, the Monroe County Schools budget has remained flat.
"We're being asked to do more and more. I think that you have to think about services for children are being diminished," newly appointed Director of Schools DeAnna McClendon said. "And at what cost do you say, 'I understand toilet paper costs more, I understand that utilities in the school cost more?'"
The Monroe County School Board met Tuesday to deal with a $1.3 million budget deficit for this upcoming school year, and McClendon said it was able to reduce that to meet their goal of getting it under $487,000.
The new budget was trimmed across the board to get down to a $482,000 deficit, but McClendon said she's not satisfied with the outcome.
"We did balance the budget, but I'm saddened that it probably wasn't a win for our children," she said.
On the table were proposals to cut some of the county's incoming school resource officers.
"Two years ago...we made the program or the plan more robust," McClendon said. "One of the things that might be proposed - and was proposed early on - is that maybe the plan would be the basics or the minimum."
McClendon said there would be at least one SRO in every school in this instance.
The school board decided to cut six new employee positions from the 12 it had contracted for the new school year. McClendon said the rest of the deficit reduction came from 2-3% cuts made across the budget, leaving no room for any excess.
"Right now, there is no cushion in our budget for anything," she said.
McClendon said that lack of cushion could cause trouble later on in the school year as they have no money to pay for extra costs that may arise -- such as sanitizing wipes for flu season or extra copy paper if they run out.
She said that while the school board needed to make the cuts, she's confident teachers will be able to rise to the occasion. Still, she said she was not satisfied with having to stretch resources thin and would like to see the community rally behind schools and petition their county leaders.
"I think they should begin calling those county commissioners, writing and emailing them. I think you need to start talking and working and reaching across the aisle... to meet halfway to come up with a solution before we're here again next year," she said.
She said the school system has already cut much from its budget this year and will be unable to defer certain equipment and maintenance needs again when budgeting time for the following school year rolls around.