The Ashland City Schools Board of Education is taking major steps to balance the district's revenues and expenditures.

The board held a special meeting Monday night in the middle school auditorium to provide details to the community regarding personnel cuts. 

Supt. Doug Marrah said the proposed cuts of more than $1-million includes between 10 to 11 teachers and a group of classified and support staff.

Marrah said the proposed cuts is an effort to balance the budget for the next fiscal year.

"This is a very difficult process to tell people who are good people they don't have a job anymore. There is no easy solution when over 80 percent of the budget is personnel," Marrah said.

"We looked at our enrollment decline. We lost 89 students last year which is really significant. The combination of the enrollment decline, loss of personal tangible property tax and state funding cuts contributed to the need for cuts," Marrah said.

Members of the Ashland City Schools chapter of Future Farmers of America, alumni, parents and other community members shared their concerns and opposition to the board's recommendation to cut the high school agriculture program instructor.

"FFA is the largest youth organization in the world and it has the power to change lives. In FFA we learn everything from team leadership, communication, to team working skills," Ashland Chapter FFA president Erica White said.

"We learn about the agriculture industry and why it's so important. Agriculture is the future of our country," White said.

The board will make a final decision on the recommendations at their next meeting Monday, March 18.