IU to borrow $2 million; layoffs coming if there's no state budget by the new year

Westmoreland Intermediate Unit employees and the special needs students they serve got a bit of good news Tuesday, along with potentially bad news.

The good news for them is that the Westmoreland Intermediate Unit 7 board approved a $2 million revenue anticipation note that will hold off any layoffs or cuts in programs and services for the remainder of this year.

The bad news, however, is that Jason Conway IU executive director, told a crowd of about 40 intermediate unit employees at the board meeting that an unspecified number of employees will be getting temporary layoff notices within the next two weeks.

The notices will inform them that they could be out of work as of New Year’s Day because of the lingering state budget crisis that shows no sign of ending.

The Westmoreland Intermediate Unit provides education services for the 17 public schools in the county, as well as private schools.

The intermediate unit is not permitted to obtain a third revenue anticipation note this school year, Conway said, that would prevent temporary layoffs or reduction in services in January. Conway had previously said that layoffs could start as early as December, if the board of directors did not approve the $2 million loan.

Following the meeting, Conway declined to discuss any details about the layoffs — how many of the intermediate unit’s 300 employees will receive layoff notices and how many in each of the three employee categories will be impacted — administrators, teachers and teaching assistants.

“All employees types will be impacted,” he said.

The employees will be notified in “a sensitive and confidential manner,” Conway said.

Several of the 40 employees expressed frustration after the meeting with the intermediate unit’s administration over the anticipated layoffs if they have to ring in the New Year without a job. They also complained about the vagueness of Tuesday’s announcement, but declined to identify themselves.

Stacey Bojac, president of the intermediate unit’s teachers, who are members of the Pennsylvania State Education Association, said she was not surprised at Conway’s announcement of possible layoffs because the union had received advance notice of the news.

“The sacrifices are supposed to be equal. It just can’t come from labor,” Bojac said, adding that is has caused a tremendous strain.

Terri Pajak, president of the about 40 IU education support professionals also represented by the PSEA, pleaded with the board to keep every possible teacher’s assistant and personal care assistant.

“We are the helping hands and caring hearts for the students,” Bojac said. “When our positions are cut, those (special) moments disappear.”

Those intermediate unit workers who do get temporarily laid off will be able to collect unemployment compensation, PSEA attorney John Paul Jones told the members last week.