Bergosh Reveals Contents Of Secret Envelope; Cuts Would Have Equaled Closing Carver/Century

May 28, 2008

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Escambia County School Board member Jeff Bergosh has revealed the contents of “the envelope of doom”, an envelope that he waived at school board budget meetings saying it contained administrative cuts he would like to see in the district.

He had refused to share the contents of the envelope with other board members or anyone else. The board instead approved other cuts and continues to discuss the closure of Carver/Century K-8 School to save an estimated $680,000 a year.

“The roughly $700K in potential savings that could have been achieved through elimination of the below listed positions,” Bergosh says on his blog about the envelope’s contents, “ironically, equals roughly the same dollar amount as what will be saved if Carver Century is closed.”

“I’ve kept this list in a sealed envelope for a couple of weeks now, and I’ve waited for my counterparts on the board to bring their lists,” Bergosh wrote on the blog. “None were forthcoming.”

“Regardless, I know we need to keep looking at budget cuts. The choices are only going to continue to be more and more difficult; None of these savings measures will be pleasant, people will be angry, and everyone will be looking at everyone else to accept budget cuts. But we will have a balanced budget at the end of this process, I’m confident of that,” he wrote.

The top cut on Bergosh’s list is the position of Associate Superintendent for Public and Interagency Affairs, a job currently held by Ronnie Arnold.

The contents of the envelope and the positions he wanted to see cut to save $700,000, according to Bergosh’s blog:

1. Associate Superintendent for Public and Interagency Affairs (duties to be delegated to Admin. Secretary or Deputy Superintendent)
2. (1) Manager IV –Construction Projects
3. (1) Safety Officer 1 Protection Services
4. Admin Secretary II Protection Services

Note—Protection Services Division Chief and one Safety Officer 1 to fall under Risk Management at Garden Street.

5. (1) Auditor from office of Internal Auditor
6. (1) Computer Operator from IT
7. (1) Programmer/Analyst I from IT
8. (1) Director I-Elementary Education
9. (1) Director I-High School Education

Note—Combine duties of Director of Middle and High School Education into one position, (following retirement of Director of High School Education) into a “Director of Secondary Education” poition. Eliminate one director of Elementary Education,(One director retiring after this school year) leaving one director for Elementary Education.

10. (1) Subject Area Specialist—Social Studies.

Note—Duties of Social Studies Subject Area Specialist to be delegated to each school’s Principal.

Estimated Total Savings $700,000.00

The envelope’s contents were revealed by Bergosh on his blog after a public records request by the Independent News in Pensacola.

Pictured above: Jeff Bergosh at a recent School Board budget workshop. NorthEscambia.com photo.

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News