All $5 Million Found, Finance Committee Reviews Cuts

The BOE has managed to find all $5.089 million dollars in savings for the 2010-2011 budget.  And as interim Superintendent Nast promised, no programs or staff have been cut.  At Thursday night's budget meeting, the Finance committee, several members of the board, union leaders and members of the public went over the cuts by line by line.

A few big ticket items like staff turnover, benefits recalculations and reductions, reducing reserve teachers drove the reduction of this budget.  Newer teachers have significantly lower salaries than older ones.  For example, NPS has 43 retiring teachers so far this year and more are expected before the year is through.  That is almost twice the amount originally budgeted.  The savings amounts to approximately $840,000. 

Other staff  changes include cutting the Assistant Principal position at West Rocks.  Nast made clear that the position would be reinstated through grant funding.  Lynn Moore, principal of West Rocks,  was present at the meeting said she was surpised to see that West Rocks on the list and she was not informed of the decision.  In addition, three teachers from Briggs Middle School program are being eliminated.  The program has very few students. 

The professional development budget was cut by $130,000, but once again, Assiatant Superintendent Tony Daddona said that this area could be covered by grants.

A request for proposal for a new law firm to handle the district's legal matters is expected to garner $75,000 in savings. 

The facilites budget was cut by $500,000.  Custodial overtime and supplies were reduced.  It was decided early on that portables were not needed at Rowayton and Naramake next year. 

The big ticket items are only a part of the story, however.  All of the schools have a ten percent reduction in per pupil allocation, meaning that the schools receive less money to spend on things like paper and supplies.  Hundreds of other line items and departments have all been chipped away at as well. 

Board Member Jody Bishop-Pullan and Superintendent Michael Nast said that although not programs and staff were not cut, next year will not be easy.  "There is no doubt about it, some things will be very tight next year," said Nast.

At the end of Thurdsay night's meeting the finance committee asked Nast for information on three items before budget goes for final approval at Tuesday's BOE meeting:

1. An explanation of what program would replace the Briggs Middle School program.
2. An explanation about the reduction of an Assistant Principal position at West Rocks and the  grant funding to reinstate the position.  
3. Since the reconciled budget reduces custodial time and the amount of money schools are receiving per student, the committee wanted information about the custodial costs for evening events, which ones are covered by the district and which ones the schools/PTOs pay for.