Closures may be imminent in Baldwin Co.

BAY MINETTE, Ala. - The Baldwin County School Superintendent said closures and consolidations are once again back on the table as cost-cutting options.

Dr. Faron Hollinger said relief to get the school board out of a tough budget crunch is nowhere in sight.

There are more minuses than pluses in the Baldwin County School budget, and the district's top leader says the option of closing more schools is real.

"I certainly hope that is a last resort," said Dr. Hollinger.

The school board is facing a $7.7 million shortfall because of statewide budget cuts.

Last school year, the school board shut down Fairhope Alternative and Vaughn Elementary. Now, more campus shutdowns could be on the way.

"It's an unfortunate move, especially with the growth that we have. But we are going to start looking at cost ineffective schools where you can do consolidations and that sort of thing," said Hollinger.

There is no final word yet on whether closures will happen. But there is no question that the economy has issued the district a hard punch.

"I think its going to have be addressed a larger scale, because we are going to have problems and significant challenges in the whole state of Alabama," added Hollinger.