Claremont
Board members ordered Superintendent Middleton McGoodwin to cut spending for the 2018-19 school year by $1.2 million, or 3.8 percent.
McGoodwin went over the cuts necessary to achieve those savings at a meeting on Wednesday.
Now it’s up to board members to choose where to actually trim.
“We went through every potential cut and now we have to take some time to digest it,” School Board Chairman Brian Rapp said on Thursday. The next meeting is Dec. 20.
McGoodwin made it clear during his presentation that the spending reductions should not be viewed as a proposal from his administration.
His initial draft budget had a $1.7 million spending increase from this year’s budget.
“This is not what we want, or recommend,” McGoodwin said at one point in the discussion. “Please do not look at this as our recommendation. These are proposals to comply with the (board’s) request.”
Before the board took a look at McGoodwin’s numbers, residents took turns speaking against large reduction in spending.
“Do not ask, what to cut,” Thomas Rock said. “Ask what does the student need to be successful in the school system. The student comes first. That is what I am asking. Make sure the student comes first.”
Andy Lafreniere, who along with Rock is a member of the city’s economic development agency, the Claremont Development Authority, said the board needs to remember the school system is critical to attracting employers and workers.
“We don’t want to come out (of the budget process) with schools that are perceived as less than adequate,” Lafreniere said. “Use a scalpel, not a machete.”
In an interview on Thursday, Rapp said the cuts outlined on Wednesday — including nixing the $1 million for new technology — would be harmful.
“There are very few things in that proposal I would feel comfortable cutting,” Rapp said. “These things will affect students.”
As an example, Rapp said one line item would cut three teaching positions at Stevens High School, including English and foreign language, which likely would mean fewer course offerings.
At Wednesday night’s meeting, which didn’t end until nearly midnight, board members reviewed each of the 34 items in the $1.2 million spending reduction.
In addition to the technology spending, two special education teaching positions at the high school, four paraprofessional positions, an elementary school teaching position and the director of adult education position would be eliminated. Also on the list was the social worker at the middle school.
Smaller sums came from maintenance items and reductions in referees and police at athletic events.
McGoodwin on Thursday said coming up with the cuts was a challenging exercise.
“It was difficult doing that, putting down things we didn’t want to put down,” McGoodwin said on Thursday.
Next to each cut was a very brief explanation of its impact.
“These items are not just numbers,” McGoodwin told the board. “Every item represents an impact on students.”
If the budget is cut by $1.2 million as requested by the board, it would reduce the school portion of the property tax rate by an estimated $1.71 per $1,000 of assessed valuation. That translates into a reduction of about $340 on a property valued at $200,000.
Joshua Mulloy, the district’s director of technology, said eliminating new technology purchases would make it hard to “support the teachers in the classroom next year with nothing being replaced.
“It is basically stripping out all the tech equipment,” he said.
When the board discussed the middle school social worker, Vice Chairman Chris Irish didn’t dispute the need for the position but wondered why the school district should foot the bill.
“Money we spend to raise kids is money we take away to educate kids,” Irish said. “It should not be a school issue.”
Others argued that if the school doesn’t provide the services of a social worker, more students would end up unable or unwilling to attend school.
“It is a bridge to the school and other services,” Middle School Principal Pauline Fitzgerald said.
On Wednesday, McGoodwin also presented a recommended budget $31.14 million. That’s a decrease of $330,000 from this year’s.
That budget included $300,000 for new technology and retains a number of the position the other spending plan would cut, including the social worker.
The recommended budget would trim an estimated 47 cents from the property tax rate.
“We wanted to give the board an alternative to look at in the spirit of compromise,” McGoodwin said. “We hope they will reconsider their position.”
Patrick O’Grady can be reached at pogclmt@gmail.com.
