1.88% looking likely Wallingford school board votes next week on budget with small increase

As published in the Record Journal Wednesday June 12, 2013

By Eric Vo
Record-Journal staff
evo@record-journal.com
(203) 317-2235
Twitter:@ericvoRJ

WALLINGFORD - After cutting $1,510,998 from its original proposed budget, the Board of Education will vote next Monday on a 2013-14 spending plan that represents a 1.88 percent increase over this year’s.

The Board of Education was initially seeking a 3.56 percent increase in the budget, or $92,766,109. The initial rounds of cuts by Mayor William W. Dickinson Jr. were not drastic and the school board was generally pleased. But when Dickinson made a second round of cuts — after learning that the town may get less money from the state than originally believed —days before the Town Council’s vote on the budget, the board was left with $91,255,111.

“We took our fair percentage of reduction, just like probably every other aspect of the municipal budget,” Board of Education Chairwoman Roxane McKay said. “... It was a fair cut. Do I like it? I would prefer it not occur, but I understand how that dollar amount was derived.”

When the Town Council approved Dickinson’s revised budget, McKay and School Superintendent Salvatore Menzo were present. McKay told board members Monday night at an operations committee meeting that the council didn’t want to make any more cuts to the education budget. Despite Dickinson’s cutting the budget, McKay said she believes “it was an equitable way to cut all municipal departments.”

A number of reductions were made Monday to the budget the full board will vote on, and likely adopt, next week. On a list of 61 line items, organized by priority, the first call for cutting seasonal help in the business office. That will yield a $10,000 return to the budget. A reduction of about $300,000 in spending for technology and $125,000 in curriculum also offers big savings.

Funds from the unencumbered funds balance, or unused money at the end of the year, will go toward severance payouts. Since money from the school system is being used, the board doesn’t have to ask the Town Council for this money. This means the board will use $681,848 for certified severances.

Dickinson had approved the use of money from a settlement with the Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority to fund safety and school code mandates. The $723,268 would be used for a number of items, such as access control, sidewalk repairs, fire alarm system upgrades and playground repairs. Since the use of CRRA settlement funds is a “onetime thing,” McKay said that money is not included in the 1.88 percent increase.

While the Board of Education should adopt the increase, McKay said, there is still a chance for more money to come in, either from grants for which the schools have applied or from the state. Instead of getting less money from the state, as expected, the town is eligible to receive more funds than it did this year.

Dickinson and McKay said they were unsure how much money each department would receive. Dickinson and his staff are working to figure out how much money is available and how to get it from the state.

“We’re looking to find out if that is restricted or unrestricted. Given that it is bond funds, it will be funded through bonding,” Dickinson said. “But does the Bond Commission have to vote on it to be available? We’re trying to find answers on how to make that money available.”

Menzo also told board members Monday night that there may be an opportunity to receive money from the state specifically for security upgrades. However, to qualify, an audit must be conducted by a certified representative, Menzo said.

Despite all the reductions made, Menzo believes the school system is in a good position for the 2013-14 school year.

“Is it optimal? No, of course not,” he said. “But with the possibility of more money being returned by the state ... and the hard work from the team, I think the appropriate decisions were made.”