Greensburg Salem OKs proposed no-tax-hike budget without restoring librarians

Greensburg Salem School Board approved a tentative 2021-22 budget that avoids a tax increase while calling for $47 million in spending — but without restoring librarian positions that some residents and at least one board member want included.

The budget passed by a 7-1 vote on Wednesday, with Lynna Thomas opposed. Thomas suggested the budget be amended to include at least one of three school librarian positions phased out during the current school year.

The 2020-21 budget would keep taxes at 89.72 mills, while eliminating several positions through attrition and reshuffling of staff.

The school board this week voted to advertise for applicants to fill several positions, including a restored grant writer job and an elementary band instructor.

“I think there is room to find a way to at least bring back one librarian,” Thomas said, arguing that librarians are needed to teach students research skills and to promote digital literacy. “The value of that programming we know is important to our teachers and our students.”

She suggested the district consider using some of the pandemic recovery funding its is receiving, through the federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER), to restore one of two elementary librarians. A middle school librarian also was eliminated.

Superintendent Gary Peiffer said the district could look into that option, once government officials have issued guidance on how the pending third round of ESSER money can be used. But, he noted, in future years the district would have to pick up the cost of maintaining the librarian post.

“When the ESSER funds run dry, then what?” asked Jeff Metrosky, board vice president. Under the terms of labor contracts already in place, he said, labor costs are expected to increase by about $1 million over two subsequent years, which he predicted could lead to back-to-back annual tax increases beginning in 2022-23.

Cindy Wygonik of Greensburg, who works at Amos K. Hutchinson Elementary, also asked the board to bring back at least one elementary librarian so “our kids could use the library for its intended purpose.”

She said staff meetings have been held in the library but students have merely walked through it in order to reach rooms where reading specialists are available.

“Having a room with books is not a library program,” said Autumn Jevicky, a candidate for school board in this year’s municipal election.

Board member Robin Savage said, when the school board agreed to phase out the three librarian positions, it was with the understanding that libraries would continue to be accessible to students at elementary buildings on a rotating basis.

According to Peiffer, that plan changed with the arrival of the pandemic. Dr. Lenni Nedley, coordinator of elementary education, federal programs and instruction, explained that pandemic protocols prohibited sharing of library books among students.

She said books couldn’t be properly sanitized for students to check out from elementary libraries, but small library collections were established in individual classrooms, where books could be sanitized.

Peiffer said libraries also were used as large group instruction rooms, helping students to maintain recommended social distancing during the pandemic.