NORTH BEND - This time there were no pleas or supplications from the community to save this program or that teacher's job.

Instead, the North Bend School District's budget committee got right down to the business of questioning and then approving the budget Wednesday night.

While the district won't have to cut nearly as many people as originally believed, five teachers, one librarian, eight classified staff members, and 2.25 administrative/confidential employees won't have North Bend jobs next year. The budget also means that the high school's school-to-work program will change. While it will continue to operate, instructor and program coordinator Karleen Burgett's position is on the chopping block unless the state gives education an additional $200 million above district estimates. With that extra money, North Bend could also add back a librarian who is expected to be laid off, said North Bend's Business Manager Sherri Flora.

Erring on the side of caution, the committee stuck with a $5.4 billion forecast for state funds - rather than $5.6 or $6 billion, as has been tossed around by the Legislature - giving the district a budget of $29.2 million, which includes an $18.8 million general fund. That means an approximate $3 million deficit, resulting in the 16.2 layoffs of full-time instructors, administrators and classified employees. The committee also agreed to put $800,000 in carryover from this year to balance the 2009-10 budget; to place $300,000 into a contingency fund for 2009-10, and to allocate $600,000 in unappropriated funds for the 2010-11 school year that would be untouchable except in a natural disaster.

Flora said the $600,000 figure represents less than the 5 percent to 15 percent minimum recommended nationally and state-wide for ending fund balances. She said the district is hoping by end of next year that the unappropriated fund, along with any possible savings from other line items, can be carried over into the next year to offset any further reductions.

"We have declining enrollment so we already know we're going to have at least a $300,000 decrease in funding," Flora said.

Several committee members said they would pray for $5.6 or $6 billion from the state, but preferred tightening the district's belt now.

"Giving people false hope is not the way to go in my opinion," said committee member Bill Richardson.

Member Diana Schab, who led the committee, described the budget as fair but horrible. She added that she appreciated proposed cuts on behalf of sports, because it shows that the budget crisis is touching everyone.

"Do I wish we could keep everybody? Yeah, I do," Schab said.

 Flora said there could be more cuts if the district is unable to institute a 10-day reduction and freeze on insurance and cost-of-living pay increases, which would free up $830,000 in the budget. That decision can't be made unless the classified and faculty unions agree.

"If we don't get that through negotiations we'll have to cut 31 full-time equivalent (positions)," Flora said.

Although they weren't present, community pleas from prior meetings didn't fall entirely on deaf ears. Vocational woods and metal classes at the high school are no longer on the chopping block. Burgett is on the put-back list as a part-time instructor if the budget improves to $5.6 billion.

High School principal Bill Lucero said he didn't know if he'd be able to maintain a nursing program overseen by Burgett.

The state's $6 million figure is based on two assumptions - that $400 million set aside for education will be available out of a $727 million reserve fund being developed by the legislature; and that a proposed $800 million tax hike on corporations and citizens who earn more than $250,000 annually will become reality. But until then, it's not real money.

"I feel like I'm dealing with a house of cards this year. You build it up and it could come (tumbling) down," said Superintendent BJ Hollensteiner. 

She said if the estimates stabilize between now and June 22, when the budget will be adopted, the committee can add items back to the list, including staff members and days. In the meantime, official layoff notices will be sent to employees.

"There is absolutely no crystal ball out there," Hollensteiner said.