NEW BERLIN – The Unadilla Valley School Board decided against adopting a budget for the upcoming 2010-2011 school year so staff could consider making one final sacrifice of paid days off in an attempt to reduce proposed cuts.

Board President William J. Lyons said members would meet again Thursday to mull over and adopt the proposed $19,614,309 budget, which currently has a zero percent increase in the tax levy.

Lyons said the board had the intention of adopting a budget last night, but put the issue off after representatives from the Unadilla Valley Teachers Union submitted a request to all staff in the district, asking them to voluntarily give up between 0-12 paid days off.

The request will be offered to all employees of the district, even non-union and administrators, said Superintendent Robert Mackey. The amount of days given back to the district will be tallied Wednesday and Mackey said he’ll make modifications to the budget.

“There appears to have been a dispute on what course of action some organizations should take, and this option allows each individual to decide on their own,” he said.

Mackey also unveiled the most recent update in the proposed budget, which is now calling for 23.5 positions to be eliminated. They include 11 teachers and licensed teaching assistants, two administrators, one dean of students, half a librarian’s position, eight teacher aides and one student advocate.