WESTFIELD – School officials are calling upon City Council members to reject a $685,000 cut to the school budget that was approved last Thursday by the council’s Finance Committee. The Finance Committee will conduct a budget workshop tomorrow with the other council members to present their recommendations for cuts totaling nearly $1.5 million.
The School Committee adopted a budget of $56,045,432, which is $535,000 above the funding level allowed by Mayor Daniel M. Knapik. If the proposed Finance Committee cuts are supported by the full City Council than that deficit between the department’s “budget of need” and the allowed municipal spending will jump up to $1,220,000 into the red. That gap could actually grow wider, depending on the level of educational funding available to the city when the state Legislature approves a 2014 fiscal year budget.
School officials are taking action to close that gap. Superintendent Suzanne Scallion sent out layoff notices last Wednesday to staff members. Union contracts require that notification to be made by June 15 each year.
Scallion is also planning not to fill several vacancies, created by retirements, to reduce salary outlay in the coming year.
School Committee Vice Chairman Kevin Sullivan said the proposed Finance Committee cuts will be “devastating” because they were adopted by the Finance Committee so late in the budget cycle.
“Basically we got it so late, after we had already made personnel cuts and sent out pink slips,” Sullivan said. “Cutting $685,000 (at this time) is kind of harsh.”
“We need to show just how devastating that cut will be to our schools,” Sullivan said.
Scallion said this morning that the Finance Committee cut “blindsided” the district.
“Usually these types of cuts are made in February or March,” Scallion said. “This was very unexpected. I was able to meet the mayor’s budget number with significant cuts, then we get another hit. Grappling with this cut this late in the school year is extremely difficult.”
Scallion said that she plan to cut further to bring the school budget into line with the Finance Committee numbers, if approved by the full City Council.
On the cutting board is a 20 percent cut to school supplies, a revamped athletic schedule which will only include league games, no after school clubs and activities, cancelling a secondary math program contract and a hiring freeze.
“We can’t keep cutting school budgets while trying to maintain momentum improving student achievement,” Scallion said. “We are making great headway, especially with the younger students which will pay off over time.”
“We’re a level 3 district. We need to take steps to improve that, steps that will now come to a screeching halt,” Scallion said.
