WESTFIELD – At a special meeting of the School Committee on Monday, Superintendent Dr. Suzanne Scallion presented a revised budget for FY2016-2017.
“We were tasked with reducing the budget to $58,900,000,” Scallion said. This represents a cut of $725,602 from the level services budget which was presented at a public hearing on April 25 that was approximately 3% more than the previous fiscal year’s budget.
“We’ve been able to bring personnel reductions down by $503,385.” She went on to say that some personnel are still letting the administration know if they are retiring or not returning.
“It’s still a work in motion,” she added.
Scallion said they’ve also found savings on the expense side. There will be one less out of district vocational student, for a savings of $62,117. Another $50,000 in transportation has been saved due to fewer after school buses in the schedule. Also, one special education student is planning to return to the district from out of district placement, for a savings of $110,000.
Scallion said these reductions in expenses of $222,217, combined with personnel savings of $503,383, add up to the $725,602 cut that was needed.
The personnel reduction represents 14 positions that won’t be filled across the district, including administration, clerical, maintenance, para-professionals, support staff and teachers. Also in the budget are 8 new positions that must be added, due to increased numbers of students. These include another aviation teacher at the Technical Academy, one teacher at Paper Mill, two at Munger Hill, an ESL teacher at South Middle School, and three additional special education teachers.
Scallion said the administration will look at current staff credentials to see whether anyone can be moved into a vacant position.
School Committee member William Duval asked if the district had choices on where special education students might go out of district, or were they locked in.
Scallion said the district is very much locked in by Individual Education Plans (IEPs). She said there is another student who might return to the district next year, at additional savings.
“Last week, we talked about school choice openings. Is that a source of income?” Duval asked.
Scallion said the district has received a fair number of applications already.
Vice chair Ramon Diaz, Jr. said that the School Committee will have another Finance Sub-Committee meeting to go line by line through the budget, but asked whether they could approve the budget total of $58,900,000 at this meeting, and come back to the reductions later.
“And still that’s in theory, because we don’t know what the state will do,” said Finance Sub-Committee chair Kevin Sullivan.
“I was hoping to get a budget by the end of May, but that’s not looking like it will happen,” said Mayor Brian P. Sullivan.
“Can we ask them (the City Council) to do it as soon as possible? Our department is unique because of the June 15 deadline,” said School Committee member Cynthia Sullivan. June 15 is the date when staff must be notified of the possibility of being laid off.
“I will outline the contractual obligations when I present the budget,” Mayor Sullivan said.
“I do need to thank Ron Rix. I happen to know he worked all weekend with his team,” Scallion said of Rix, who was not at the meeting. “Someone here we can thank is Pam Kotarski,” she added.
“Obviously we’re still in (union) negotiations, so that’s not settled,” Kevin Sullivan said.
Scallion said yes, and for every 1% step in raises, there would need to be another $440,000 in cuts to the budget.
Cynthia Sullivan made a motion to bring forward to the Mayor and City Council the FY2016-2017 budget of $58,900,000. The motion was approved unanimously.
In other matters before the School Committee, an increase for out of district placement to the Technical Academy was approved. Tuition rates, which are set by the state, will be as follows: $11,178 for the regular rate, up from $10,106, and an additional $6,521 for special education, increased from $6,202.
Diane Mayhew also made a request to send the matter of athletic fees and school parking fees to the Finance Sub-Committee. Westfield High School Principal Dennis Duquette requested input before fees are changed.
The next regular meeting of the School Committee will be held on Monday, May 16.
