CUMBERLAND — Students probably won’t be affected by the latest budget cut hitting Allegany County Public Schools — a $250,000 reduction in funding from county government announced Tuesday night.

And teachers’ jobs are safe, for now.

But the national economic crisis is trickling down from state to county to school system — and the worst is probably yet to come, administrators said.

“I don’t think we’re done budget-cutting,” said Superintendent David Cox, who outlined some of the ways the district is trying to increase efficiency and reduce costs.

“We do expect it’s going to be another lean budget cycle. But we have to keep our priorities first and foremost on the instruction that takes place every day in our classrooms. That should be the last place that it is felt.”

Per Cox’s recommendation, the Allegany County Board of Education voted 4-0 to delay the hiring of an assistant superintendent of administration to save $125,000 — half the amount necessary to absorb the county shortfall.

“We may fill the thing through restructuring, but now is not the time to move forward,” said Randy Bittinger, who called the job an “important position” designed to help the school system focus on more efficient business practices.

“Some of the things we need to look at is the way we purchase things,” he said. “We’re not efficient there. We need to study our transportation methods. ... We need to meet the challenges on food service business, and of course we have some serious financial challenges in our technology infrastructure.”

The school system expects to save an additional $125,000 or more in natural gas costs because of a new contract with Tybec Energy, Bittinger told the board.

County officials met with Cox and Bittinger Sept. 9 — the day after last month’s school board meeting — to tell them about the impending budget shortfall and talk about how to deal with it. Allegany County government is facing a $2 million budget shortfall due to a state reduction of highway user taxes, Bittinger said.

The next four or five months will be “interesting” as state legislators gather to begin hashing out a budget for next year, said County Commissioner Dale Lewis, who attended Tuesday night’s school board meeting.

“It’s not a good time right now,” Lewis said. “We know right come December we’re going to be facing more cuts. ... It’s not going to be a pretty picture.”

Also Tuesday night, Cox announced that the board is seeking community members to help determine the future of the county’s middle schools and Fort Hill and Allegany high schools, as part of a study being conducted this winter and spring. The community “resource committee” will comprise staff from each of the schools being studied; two current high school students — one from Allegany, one from Fort Hill — two community/business representatives; and parents from each of the five schools being studied.

To apply for a seat on the committee, contact Mia Cross, public relations specialist for ACPS, at (301) 759-2092, or via e-mail at mia.cross@acps.k12.md.us to get an application. Applications will be available on the ACPS Web site starting today, Cross said.

Contact Kristin Harty Barkley at kharty@times-news.com.