Gap in school budget is narrowed to $80,000
Published on March 17th, 1999
STONEHAM, MA - While the Finance Board took no action on the FY2000 School Department budget that it was presented with last week, Chairman Richard Gregorio praised the comprehensive effort that went into developing what he called a "very detailed, grass-roots budget."
Board member Kristen Russo summarized by category the factors and justification for the $17,714,830 request for next year.
"What you see is what's needed ... This is a very forthright budget," said Russo.
With the School Department's budget request and the Town Administrator's proposal nearly $140,000 apart, School Committee Chairman Stephen Gucciardi advised that his committee would continue to look toward closing that gap and requested the same of the Finance Board.
"We're going to sharpen our pencils and continue to look for additional savings. We ask you to sharpen yours to look for additional revenues."
Subsequent action by the School Committee on Thursday brought that budget figure down even further to $17,699,763, a five percent increase over the current year.
School Superintendent Dr. Joseph Connelly summarized the budget development process to Finance Board members. The first draft of the school budget, approved by the School Committee in early January, came in at 3.96 percent above the current year, and represented a maintenance level or "bare-bones" budget at $17,521,306. These dollars, Connelly explained, would allow the School Department to maintain the same level of service as this year.
Draft two garnered School Committee approval later that month with additions that would cover the necessary enhancement of programs and staff to meet the demands of MCAS and the recommendations of the high school accreditation process. Draft two totalled $17,783,434, 5.5 percent over the current year.
Draft three, which was the version presented to the Finance Board, reflected a decrease of $68,604, through anticipated savings in health insurance costs, and offset of a portion of special education salaries through receipt of a grant.
Thursday night's School Committee action yielded draft four of the budget, with another $15,067 cut. This savings represents the reduction of one special education teaching assistant position.
Other potential savings might be realized in the form of an additional $45,000 in health insurance savings as a result of rebidding of the town's contract.
Another area of savings that at one point looked likely was reduction of half a kindergarten session, to a tune of $25,000. This reduction, however, is less likely now, according to Connelly, as the number of kindergarten registrations continues to rise.
In bringing the school budget closer in line with Nutting's proposed allocation, two caveats were voiced. As he told the Finance Board earlier in the week, Connelly reminded School Committee members that some of the savings realized in the FY2000 budget were one-time only savings, such as receipt of grant money that would be used to offset expenses. Such expenses would likely recur and need to be addressed next year.
Likewise, Gucciardi warned that the health insurance savings, anticipated from rebidding of the town's contract, would need to be watched carefully. He cautioned that after securing the contract, a low bidder could gradually increase costs in subsequent years.
"This is a great opportunity for us to save but we need to make sure we're making the right decision for the long-term," he said.
Budget draft four proposes $17,699,763, yielding a 5 percent increase over FY99. If the $45,000 in health insurance savings is approved, the gap between the School Department budget and Nutting's proposal will fall to approximately $79,000.
"I think we've made great progress in past two to three months," said Connelly, pointing out that at this stage of the budget process, some towns and school departments are hundreds of thousands of dollars apart.
Finalization of all budgets is expected within the next two to three weeks.
One outstanding issue for FY2000 that continues to haunt both administrators and parents alike is funding of school bus service.
The School Department's budget proposal does not include funding for the service over and above the state requirement of providing transportation to kindergarten through fifth grade students living two or more miles from school. Last year, only about a dozen students fit this criteria.
The Busing Committee, formed last fall, submitted its proposal to the School Committee and recommended full or partial funding of the service to students by the School Department as long as those funds were not in competition with those needed for the educational program.
A third option proposed was for private funding of the service. With the bus service contract out for bid, the committee stipulated that the per bus rate quoted be honored for private service as well. In addition, the committee recommended that parents be made aware of the decision as early as possible.
Broadway resident Joanne Tortorici is sponsor of a Town Meeting warrant article requesting that the town raise and appropriate or transfer from available funds a sum of money to provide public school bus transportation for next year.
The School Committee has not taken any position on this article.
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