The Ketchikan School Board voted Wednesday to reinstate 36.2 of the 52 employees who were issued layoff notices last week.
That recall was made after the borough’s vote on Monday to approve the school district’s budget, adding back some but not all of the local funding that had been cut from the version the borough passed initially.
The School Board was also optimistic they’d soon receive one-time state funding, based on conversations between Board President Stephen Bradford and legislators.
“My confidence in the governor has gone up this week,” Bradford said. “I’ve had assurances from the Senate President [Gary] Stevens, that he and House Speaker [Cathy] Tilton had a meeting with [Gov. Mike Dunleavy] recently, at which the governor assured them that it was his intent to allow the full 680 one time funding.”
Bradford said that even if Gov. Mike Dunleavy vetoes half of the funding, as he did a year ago, the Borough had granted them the spending authority to make up the roughly $2 million difference.
But Bradford said last week’s layoff notices have already had a detrimental effect.
“Of the pink slips that were issued, I’m aware of four at least, that have said, ‘I’m out of here,’” Bradford said. “[They] have taken other positions or decided not to accept a recall if it’s issued.”
The Board agreed to continue discussions about bringing back more positions and programs as funding becomes available.
Michael Fanelli is the News Director at KRBD. He can be reached at michael@krbd.org.
Correction: This story has been updated to more accurately convey the borough’s budget action. (July 17, 2024)
