Stimulus will not be used to offset insurance, salaries

VERONA — The Augusta County Education Association’s suggestion that federal stimulus money be used to help offset health insurance costs and salaries for county teachers and support staff was rebuffed Thursday by the school board and county schools administration.

The ACEA noted that next year’s school budget passes on an additional $43 monthly health cost to each employee, and suggested that the stimulus money could help bridge that funding gap.

“Health insurance is the top priority,’’ said Buffalo Gap High teacher and ACEA member Jenny Pippin, who was one of the speakers to the school board Thursday. She said the fact that Augusta County has always provided 100 percent payment of health care for teachers not on a family plan was a major plus for working in the county.

School board members and Superintendent Gary McQuain were quick to say the guidelines for the stimulus money are still being interpreted — and to say it would be unwise to use the money for recurring costs because it has a two-year limit.

“There are a lot of strings attached,’’ said McQuain, who said portions of the money go for Title I programs, special education and said the remainder could be applied to school renovation projects.

The superintendent said it is possible a portion of the stimulus money could be used to temporarily fund teachers or teacher aides not in next year’s budget.

But McQuain said any teachers or teacher aides hired with stimulus money would have to be told up front that their job could be temporary.

“They would get a letter saying ‘you are being paid with stimulus money,’ ’’ McQuain said.

Riverheads School Board member Chad Shomo said the school board must be fiscally responsible. He told the ACEA that “at least you have jobs, 7.5 percent of the county doesn’t.”

Augusta County’s unemployment rate for February was 7.4 percent.

Shomo said the school board does not like the current economy, but said “we didn’t create the economic environment.”