Norf. sitting on $8 mil due to teachers

NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) - For four months now the City of Norfolk has been sitting on $8 million in federal money meant for teachers. The city received the funding in mid-September but has yet to release it to the school system.

While some other school districts used the money to give teacher bonuses this past Christmas, Norfolk teachers, who have not received a raise in three years, are questioning why the city has failed to transfer the money.

"My question is, 'What's taking so long?'" asked Marion Flickinger, President of the Norfolk Federation of Teachers. "How long can it take to transfer funds from the city to the school board?"

"It just seemed like the royal run-around to us," she said. From schools across the city, employees have reached out to the teachers' union. "Oh, every day we get calls from people about, 'When are we getting the bonuses?'" The money is also expected to be used to protect people from job cuts.

School employees and the union started a campaign of public pressure to get the city to release the money to the schools. Flickinger sent an e-mail to union reps at every school in Norfolk saying city officials are "stalling." She wrote, "...they are dragging their feet because the Mayor and Vice-Mayor have stated that they did not want school employees to get this money."

An angry Vice Mayor Anthony Burfoot responded, "This is absolutely crazy." Burfoot said he's never said he didn't want teachers to get this money. "If this money comes from the state, earmarked to go to teachers, then it's supposed to go to the teachers, that's not rocket science, but it has not reached my desk." He went on to say, "I have three young daughters in Norfolk Public Schools and so for this to be an email she generates to teachers across the board, I was very concerned."

Mayor Paul Fraim also told WAVY.com, "I've never said that." He said the city has a perfect record of transferring every bit of money ever earmarked for the schools.

Fraim and Burfoot both explained the city council is not able to transfer the money to the school system until the city administration presents council with an ordinance ordering the transfer of funds. As of now, the administration has not presented council with such an ordinance.

City spokeswoman Terry Birshirjian told WAVY.com the city attorney is drawing up the ordinance now and it's expected to be presented to council next week, at council's formal meeting January 25th.

But why the four month hold-up? Birshirjian said, "It's just the pace of business. There's been a lot of stuff going on."

Burfoot said he will absolutely vote "yes" on the ordinance to get the money to the schools. He said he is a huge supporter of educators, especially as a former teacher himself. "I understand how hard they work and haven't had a raise in some time, I understand that and am very sensitive to that."