School Board Trims Its Spending Plans

By Laurie Borst

The Board of Education met Wednesday, June 14, to decide how to pare its spending plans for the 2006-07 school year to fit the requirements of the $95.3 million budget approved by voters on May 30. The board was looking for $898,926 in spending reductions.

Board member Andrew Buzzi wrote the proposal the board considered. Mr Buzzi’s proposed spending plan did not include any cuts in teaching positions. A proposed increase in the GATES (gifted and talented) program position from 0.8 to 1.0 was slated to be cut, but board member Paul Mangiafico argued successful for maintaining that increase in the budget. This change in the position amounts to $14,500.

Mr Mangiafico suggested other areas of the budget that could be trimmed to realize this savings. He cited memberships ($45,000), supply increases ($71,000), printing services ($70,000), and travel and accommodations (student and teacher) ($208,000).

“Fourteen thousand dollars out of a $60 million [education] budget. Perhaps we could squeeze other areas a little and have less impact on educational services that directly benefit the students,” Mr Mangiafico said.

Lisa Schwartz echoed Mr Mangiafico’s sentiments. Ms Schwartz also asked Mr Buzzi to explain how he arrived at the numbers he presented. Mr Buzzi explained that the board realized savings from last year’s budget.

“Our charge as a board from the state is to be fiscally responsible. We are not supposed to spend every last penny,” he explained. “We don’t know until we reach the end of the year exactly how much money we have left.”

Reductions in health insurance rates equaled a savings of $258,568. “Excess cost grant revenue” brought savings of $199,066. The modular classroom lease expense was deferred until July, netting another $88,869 in savings. Postponement of building and site projects saved another $99,000. Cutting new textbooks, computers, and related supplies realized a savings of $196,000, and cutting a new school bus saved $72,842.

The cuts that were approved addressed the board’s concern for maintaining class sizes at all levels. Two new positions at Reed Intermediate School and the associated costs of a new cluster were also retained in the new budget.

In other business, the board recognized and thanked the six people retiring this year, who together have more than 140 years of service to Newtown schools. This includes teachers Buni Kovacs, Karen Mann, Alice Privalsky, Gail Seymour, and Mary Thomas. District social worker, DeEtta Breitwieser, is the sixth person.

The board meets again next Monday, June 19, to discuss the high school space needs.