Staff photo by Fritz Busch Gibbon Fairfax Winthrop (GFW) School Board member Mike Kuehn of Winthrop reads a letter at a special board meeting in the Gibbon Elementary Gym Monday.

GIBBON — By a 5-1 vote, the Gibbon Fairfax Winthrop (GFW) School Board approved a resolution to cut $290,000 in programs and positions Monday.

Fairfax board member Dan Merkel cast a dissenting vote on the motion by board member Mike Kuehn of Winthrop, seconded by Jason Haas of Gibbon, to make the reductions said to be needed to deal with the district’s statutory operating debt (SOD).

Cuts for the 2021-22 school year included two full-time equivalent (FTE) elementary teachers, a 1.0 FTE sixth-grade teacher, .4 FTE social studies teacher, 1.0 FTE school counselor, and .75 FTE technology teacher.

“These are challenging times for everyone this year,” Kuehn said at the end of the hour-long meeting. “We’re fully committed to a dedicated staff…we are making these decisions in the best interest of our schools and communities. I don’t feel good about letting good people go.”

Earlier in the meeting, GFW Education Association President Heather Bakke read a March 19 letter to the school board that read that 94% of teaching staff don’t support or have confidence in the leadership Supt. Jeff Horton brings to GFW schools.

“Many teachers and community members in the school district have grave concerns regarding the future of GFW,” read the letter. “Concerns surround not only the speed at which the district is moving to extricate itself from SOD, but also the negative effect it is having on students, the staff, and community.”

The letter mentioned a concern for student safety due to lack of a discipline plan.

“At both buildings, unsafe student behavior goes unchecked. There is no guidance as to what to do or how to do it,” read the letter.

“It has also been noticed in many instances and by many people, that Mr. Horton seems to deflect criticism and blames others for things that are his responsibility,” the letter continued. “Many people shared the feeling that they are afraid to disagree with Mr. Horton for fear of retaliation.”

Baleigh Peterson, GFW School Board Student Rep. said students are upset with board decisions made to get the district out of SOD and a number of them will go to PSEO (Postsecondary Enrollment Options) next year.

A number of people applauded.

The GFW Leadership Team fully supports Horton.

“Just last year, there was little hope of our school district getting out of SOD without major cuts and sacrifices on behalf of staff, families, and students. There was even talk that our district may eventually close,” read a March 20 letter from the GFW Leadersheip Team to the school board.

“Supt. Horton started working from day one to reign in spending, make budget efficiences, and work towards a stable and sustainable budget,” the letter added. “We knew cuts would have to happen this year, but thanks to Horton’s leadership, we are facing $290,000 in cuts instead of the $470,000 in cuts originally anticipated, and there is little talk that we will close. We are looking at being out of SOD by 2022, and the future is bright.”

The letter read that GFW is in SOD due to years of deficit spending and is required by law to exit that status, and part of that is making budget reductions, which are largely staffing costs.

“We do not like having to let staff go, but sadly, it is a necessary part of the job,” read the letter.

Kuehn said the board fully supports Horton and is “very disappointed in the union vote.”

“I’m sure there are concerns about job security,” said Kuehn.

Fritz Busch can be emailed at fbusch@nujournal.com.