With the failed override ballot question of April 1, and the required cuts to both school and town budgets, questions have been asked as to how to minimize the effect of the cuts on the delivery of school and town services. Budget reductions for town services, derived primarily from personnel changes, totaled $48,000, 31 percent of which represents administrative cuts. Budget reductions for school operations totaled $104,000, 88 percent of which impacts direct educational services. With the exception of a $23,000 cut to the school maintenance budget, there are no cuts at the administrative level.
Once again we see the failure of the school superintendent to properly manage the financial resources of the school district. How is it that town operations can sustain $15,000 in administrative cuts and school operations none? In fact, the superintendent found it necessary to request and include in his budget a new clerical position for his office.
Offered below are four adjustments that can be implemented in the fiscal year 2009 school budget without any impact on the residential tax bill.
- School officials informed residents at the May 2008 Special Town Meeting of approximately $35,000 in energy savings from the installation of a new boiler at the Bromfield School. Granted, we have seen increases in the price of oil in the ensuing four weeks since the Special Town Meeting, but to horde $35,000 as a hedge against oil futures for next winter borders on foolishness.
Solution: Surely we can free up $15,000 of the anticipated savings, turn down the thermostats, and if necessary rebalance the heating system as was suggested by a resident engineer at the March Annual Town Meeting and use the savings to restore the math tutor at the elementary school.
- Director of Special Education Charles Horn retires at the end of fiscal year 2008 after many years of valuable service to our school district, yet the proposed salary for this position in the fiscal year 2009 budget is $110,000. It is hoped that the superintendent will execute an employment contract with Mr. Horn’s replacement at the bottom salary scale for this position. A portion of this budget line is reserved for unused vacation buyback. The buyback of unused vacation should be expended in fiscal year 2008, the final year in which the employee renders services, as required by accounting principles and funded by a combination of surplus school funds and/or a Reserve Fund transfer.
Solution: Free up $18,500 from the SPED director’s salary line. Use $15,000 of the savings to restore the Virtual High School. Apply $3,500 of the savings to fund a portion of the writing lab assistant at Bromfield.
- As I mentioned above, the superintendent has proposed a new clerical position for his office. This position is not entirely new–it was funded in the fiscal year 2008 budget but unfilled throughout the year. The job tasks and related work effort were fulfilled by a number of district employees. In the private sector we call this labor redistribution. When I questioned the need for this position, I was told that the district is 18 percent below the state average for school administrative expenses. Since when do we govern by state averages? We should govern by results. Those all too familiar with state statistics know that administrative data can be skewed by top-heavy staffing at large regional districts and city school systems. Simply put, this position is not justified based on current operating results.
Solution: Free up $16,837 from the elimination of the clerical position and use the savings to fund a portion of the writing lab assistant at Bromfield.
- During fiscal year 2008 two longtime administrative assistants left employment with the town. The new assistant to the town administrator started with a salary at, or near, the bottom of the salary scale for that position. The new assistant to the superintendent received a starting salary at, or near the top of, the salary scale. Although the job functions are nearly identical, there is approximately a $12,000 difference in the budgeted salaries. Actually, the difference is closer to $14,000 if you measure the additional compensated fringe benefits which appear to be buried somewhere in the central office section of the budget. Why one individual is paid $14,000 more for the same level of work is another example of mismanagement of school resources. Once again the superintendent missed a golden opportunity to control administrative costs and redirect those funds to the delivery of classroom services.
Solution: Free up $12,000 of administrative costs by reducing the hours of the superintendent’s administrative assistant and apply the savings to fund the remaining portion of the writing lab assistant at Bromfield.
At a May 21 Finance Committee meeting, I proposed these solutions to the current and former School Committee chairpersons. No action was taken.
It is time for the three newly elected members of the School Committee to take control and require the superintendent to make adjustments and restore the budget cuts.
Old Littleton Road resident George McKenna is the former town auditor.
