In what could be the first of many such moves, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools today said it eliminated 13 jobs from its human resources department.
The cuts will save the district more than $489,000. The 13 jobs will be condensed into four, CMS officials said.
“Unfortunately, these tough budget times have caused us to have to cut staff,” Maurice Ambler, CMS chief human resources officer, said in a press statement, adding that he believes the cuts will make the department more efficient.
Superintendent Peter Gorman has said CMS may eliminate 1,200 positions as it works to close projected budget shortfalls next year. The cuts would be spread over a number of job categories, including teachers, teacher assistants, school security workers and assistant principals.
Gorman says CMS may face a $87 million budget shortage next year. Its current budget is about $1.2 billion.
Mecklenburg County commissioners on Tuesday asked CMS to return $5 million from its current budget.
The school system receives about a third of its funding from Mecklenburg County, with about 60 percent coming from state coffers. Both have told CMS to expect less next year as they struggle with lower tax collections brought on by the national recession.
