Plea for state aid is answered
Published on March 17th, 1999
STONEHAM, MA - State aid for Stoneham schools has been a topic of much concern lately, but conversation on the issue turned unusually positive at Thursday's School Committee meeting.
According to School Superintendent Dr. Joseph Connelly, Stoneham has been awarded $45,000 from the state's Foundation Reserve Grant, commonly referred to as "pothole money," for use in the current fiscal year.
Connelly advised that this award is intended for out-of-the-ordinary and nonrecurrent expenses. Stoneham will allocate the money to replace the high school bleachers that were previously determined to be structurally unsound and which have subsequently been removed.
While many communities across the Commonwealth have benefited from the millions of Foundation Reserve award dollars this year, the state was left with just under $100,000 before awarding Stoneham about half of that balance.
The award marks Stoneham's first time as a recipient of the award which has been in existence for the past three to four years.
In fact, Stoneham's continual inability to qualify for significant state aid for education has been so frustrating that it prompted a meeting between the town and the state Department of Education recently.
"This I know to be a result of the meeting we had..." said School Committee Chairman Stephen Gucciardi. Also in attendance at that meeting was Stoneham's state legislators, Connelly, and members of the Board of Selectmen, Finance Board, and School Committee.
While the problem is known to lie in the formula used in determining state aid eligibility, no review or change to the formula will be made by the state until after the next fiscal year. The pothole award, therefore, is welcomed early reward.
"We are ... very grateful for these extra funds," said Gucciardi.
In a press release on Monday, State Senator Richard Tisei stated, "Towns and cities throughout the Commonwealth have been locked in a very competitive struggle to gain extra state educational monies. We worked very closely with Superintendent Connelly and the Department of Education to secure these needed funds. This is a small step in the right direction for Stoneham schools and I am glad that we can help Stoneham secure this grant."
State Representative Michael Festa also responded to Stoneham's award, saying, "This certainly will help Stoneham as it deals with the school funding issue. Superintendent Connelly made a very compelling case for additional funds and the DOE was willing to listen. The collective efforts of the Stoneham officials and the legislative delegation were instrumental in securing this grant. It is something we can all be proud of."
Fifty-seven communities received pothole money from the state this year, while almost twice that amount applied.
Of the DOE, Gucciardi stated, "They listened...they appreciated the difficult situation we've found ourselves in, and they responded."
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