WHEN LEADERSHIP FAILS, KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD, VOTING WHOM OFF THE ISLAND?
New Fairfield school board weighs cuts
John Pirro, Staff Writer
Updated 10:18 p.m., Tuesday, March 15, 2011
REALITY IS A BITCH! IT'S EASIER TO KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD AND LET OTHERS MAKE THE HARD DECISIONS! THE CHAIRMAN MAKES A GOOD POINT ... WAS HE VOTED OFF THE ISLAND?
NEW FAIRFIELD -- The Board of Education on Monday debated a host of cuts, including laying off more than a half-dozen teachers and paraprofessionals, to keep the operating side of its proposed 2011-12 school budget at the current spending level.
Addressing the board at a special meeting that was attended by more than 75 teachers, Superintendent Alicia Roy said finance officials want to see a zero percent increase in the schools' operating expenditures before they submit the plan to voters at referendum.
Reaching that goal would require the elimination of five full- and part-time teachers in the district, as well as two paraprofessionals at the middle school, she said.
"There has to be quite a few bodies cut," she said.
"Most of the increases are in costs we have no control over," she added, including an anticipated 10 percent rise in the cost of health insurance.
The proposed school budget totals $38.3 million, nearly $30 million of which is on the operating side.
Teachers union president Keith Conway urged to board to look elsewhere to cut costs, claiming teachers and paraprofessionals have borne the brunt of the reductions so far.
Almost to a person, the board members said they were opposed to laying off teachers.
Member Vic Flagello suggested several alternatives: a freeze in all non-union salaries, asking administrators to forego their negotiated salary increases, getting rid of department heads, and eliminating all preventive maintenance.
"I would rather rip the gutters off the buildings than let go any more teachers," he said.
Chairman Kim Hanson suggested the board approve a $350,000 reduction in the bottom line, with the specifics to be determined later, rather than make Board of Finance members appear to be the bad guys by mandating an even larger reduction.
The move could result in greater support from finance officials when the budget is submitted to voters.
"This is an attempt to sort of preempt things. It's only going to get worse as time goes on," Hanson said.
But the suggestion failed to garner support, and the school board eventually decided to let the finance board specify the size of the cut.
