School Business Director Warns Of Excess Budget Expenses

By Laurie Borst

Newtown’s school district Business Director Ron Bienkowski addressed his concerns regarding “a number of unanticipated items that will require increased monitoring of budget operations earlier than usual this year,” at the Board of Education meeting on October 16.

First on Mr Bienkowski’s list is the fuel oil account. Oil is currently costing the schools $2.43 per gallon, compared to the $2.05 per gallon budgeted. Based on current prices and anticipated needs, this could result in a shortfall of over $116,000. Electricity is stable for the moment, but, the CL&P is requesting a 22 percent rate increase for January, he added.

Additional funds have also been required for educational assistants. Since July 1, 13 special education students have moved into the district. A preliminary estimate of costs is $90,000. Mr Bienkowski reported that a one-time carry-over of IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) funds will cover $60,000 of that amount.

Legal services, budgeted at $82,500, have risen to $95,000. The breakout of expenses to date is $82,600 for pupil personnel matters, $7,800 for administrator, custodian and aides negotiations, $3,100 for transportation issues, and $1,500 for miscellaneous issues.

“While special ed accounts for the majority of legal expenses,” Mr Bienkowski reported, “a significant portion of this may be offset by the excess cost grant as it relates to children who exceed 4.5 times our average per pupil costs.”

The transportation budget also is a source of concern. Woodbury’s Vo-Ag School changing its start time ($14,342); an Abbott Tech student requiring special transportation ($24,285); Probe needing an extra vehicle, growth in the private schools’ populations and the overcrowding issues under scrutiny ($49,000 per new bus) are adding pressure to an ever-tightening budget. On June 19, to meet budget reductions demanded by voters, two buses were cut — a total of $146,682.

Tuition and transportation costs associated with special education could be $100,000 short at a 90 percent excess cost grant rate, Mr Bienkowski informed the board. He pointed out that an unanticipated superintendent search has resulted in $18,000 for services.

Building and site improvement projects are usually the target of cuts to offset deficits. Mr Bienkowski is analyzing the medical benefits account, which was revamped effective July 1, to pinpoint possible savings there.

“So many issues this early in the year is unusual,” Mr Bienkowski observed. “However, there are a number of contributing factors that impacted us significantly, such as the large budget cut, major benefits change, and the 44 percent turnover in key central office positions.”

In other business, Interim Superintendent Tom Jokubaitis told the board that 20 applications were received for the high school principal position. Nine candidates have been selected for interviews. A 12-member committee was formed to interview the candidates and select the top three choices for further consideration. The committee is composed of administrators, guidance personnel, teachers, students, and parents.

During public participation, Middle Gate School’s PTA President Desiree Galassi raised two areas she hoped the board would address. Her first concern was about the shortage of substitute teachers and how Newtown proposed to solve the problem. She suggested training sessions and higher compensation, more in line with other area districts, as ways to alleviate the shortage.

Ms Galassi brought up the issue of wiring the schools for SmartBoards. While PTAs and schools have worked hard to raise the funds to purchase SmartBoards, budget cuts have limited the schools’ abilities to purchase computers to operate the boards and to fund the wiring needed throughout the school buildings.

She suggested the creation of an ad hoc committee to research bundling these projects for all the schools, hopefully resulting in lower overall costs to bring Newtown schools up to the current available technologies.