Faced with either a reduction of district staffing or operating at a significant budget shortfall, the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education held a vote Wednesday that Vice Chair Riza Jenkins described as feeling “not great” for everyone involved. Ultimately, the board voted 4-3 to approve a plan proposed by the superintendent and her financial team to freeze and cut dozens of positions, with some of those changes happening this school year and others happening ahead of the 2025-26 academic year. Board Chair George Griffin, alongside Jenkins, Mike Sharp, and Meredith Ballew, voted to pass the tiered ‘Reduction in Force’ proposal. Board members Rani Dasi, Barbara Fedders and Vickie Feaster Fornville voted to oppose its proposed form. During her presentation to the board, Superintendent Nyah Hamlett listed a variety of reasons for reaching this budget shortfall and concluding cuts to position as a solution. Chief among them, she said, is the district’s declining enrollme...