WESTLAND, Mich. – The superintendent of Wayne-Westland Community Schools remains on leave amid a budget crisis in the district.
Local 4 heard from the interim superintendent, Jennifer Curry, about the tough spot the district is in.
We saw proposals and scenarios for cuts of $10 million to $17 million. We also learned why the cuts have to come from staff.
But there were still plenty of questions about whether any of the scenarios could keep the state from intervening.
“Those numbers look good, the presentation looks good. Do I 100% believe it? I can’t,” said Michelle Sample, former employee and Wayne-Westland parent.
Sample had difficulty understanding how any of the scenarios presented by the board on Monday (June 10) night could fix the district’s money problems.
“The numbers we saw in the presentation are only for this current year and going into the future,” Sample said. “But show us back.”
How the district got here remains unclear.
“We have seen huge discrepancies,” said Tonya Karpinski.
Karpinski, the executive director of the teachers union, says those discrepancies have made negotiations challenging.
“Every time we negotiate, we get different answers and a different number,” Karpinski said.
Nearly 93% of the district’s budget goes toward staff salaries. If the board doesn’t make the necessary cuts, the state will.
“Although the news is not favorable, we now understand our district’s situation,” said Curry.
Curry is in for Dignan, who was placed on leave last week after a closed-door meeting.
“We shouldn’t have to beg for FOIAs; we shouldn’t have to put a superintendent on administrative leave in order to provide the reports that already exist within our accounting department,” said a woman.
It’s up to the board to decide what happens next.
“Are we going to be the board that does it, or are we going to sit back and allow the state to do it for us,” said Curry.
The board will be voting on those proposals next week.
As a result of all of this turmoil, the teachers’ union rep told Local 4 that 43 teachers have retired this year. That’s not including the bus drivers and custodians who have also left.