Westfield School Committee Vice-Chair Timothy O’Connor. (THE WESTFIELD NEWS FILE PHOTO)
WESTFIELD – In anticipation of a scheduled Committee of the Whole review of the district budget on April 21 at 5:30 p.m., the Westfield School Committee is soliciting public comment ahead of the meeting.
Because the meetings are now virtual, community members can submit comments by email to [email protected] between now and Monday, April 20.
Timothy O’Connor, vice-chair of the School Committee, said Superintendent Stefan Czaporowski and Chief Financial Officer Ronald R. Rix presented the district’s Fiscal Year 2021 request of $64,394,820, a two percent increase, to the committee on April 6.
The entire presentation may be reviewed on the website at www.schoolsofwestfield.org.
O’Connor said the School Committee is seeking public comments on the proposal by email to schoolsofwestfield.org. One School Committee member will monitor the emails, and bring forward the comments to read at the start of the meeting, which will be audio broadcast on Channel 15.
Asked about the status of the budget given the current crisis, O’Connor said, “I think there’s a lot going on at the state level, where the funding is being diverted. Also, at the city level, the meals tax and hotel tax have been severely impacted.”
“I think it’s fair to ask every department to be as tight as they can,” he said, adding that the committee will be asking for different scenarios from the Superintendent and CFO on how to reduce the current proposal as best they can.
O’Connor said with schools being closed, there are some utility savings, as well as savings from substitute teachers pay and in some other areas. “There is not a significant amount of savings out there,” he said, adding that most of the staff is working.
“We’re going to save every penny we can,” O’Connor said.
