The school board's efforts to pare next year's operating budget may have been for naught.
An increase of $9.9 million over this year's $177.5 million is still too much, according to County Executive Eileen M. Rehrmann.
"I appreciate the board's effort in cutting the superintendent's request," Mrs. Rehrmann said Friday. "However, the reality check is that the revenue growth is just not there. . . . Our revenues are expected to grow at less than 2 percent."
The board worked for four hours Thursday to trim a list of 92 items totaling $16.8 million to 22 items with a $9.96 million price tag.
"The reality is, the money isn't coming," said board member George D. Lisby. "We have to have a tight prioritized budget."
The proposed budget includes nine system-wide enrichment teachers; a risk management specialist; 80 teachers to meet the projected enrollment increase of 1,276 students; nine guidance counselors; and additional staff for special education. The total school operating budget would be $187.4 million for the fiscal year that begins July 1.
But positions such as the proposed parental involvement coordinator, whose duties never were outlined, and a nurse coordinator to oversee school nurses will have to wait for another day.
Those deleted items will have to be "our goal for the next two or three years," said the board's newest member, Geoffrey R. Close.
The proposed budget also earmarks $536,000 to cover Title I programs for disadvantaged elementary-age children. That money would have been cut because of changes in federal funding.
It does not set aside any money for teacher pay raises, which have to be negotiated.
"Nothing has been done," said a frustrated Jean Thomas, president of the Harford County Education Association, the teachers union.
Formal action on the budget will be taken by the board at a meeting Feb. 27 at Southampton Middle School. The budget will be submitted by March 1 to Mrs. Rehrmann, who will send it to the County Council by April 1.
The county also will consider the school system's 1995-1996 construction budget of $38.8 million this spring. The county's share of the budget is $26.1 million, the state's $12.7 million.
An addendum of $2.5 million also is included with the budget. It provides $2.1 million for technology education and $400,000 for curriculum and staff development in case the county finds extra money, schools spokesman Donald R. Morrison said.
The County Council "needs to know that we've considered other things beyond 'X' items," school board President Ronald R. Eaton said.