Essex Board of Education Implements $100,000 Cut Imposed by Finance Board
April 2, 2010
The local school board has designated a series of cuts to implement a $100,000 budget reduction imposed last week by the board of finance.
The school board at a special meeting Wednesday identified three cuts in the proposed $7.29 million budget for Essex Elementary School in 2010-2011 that would match the $100,000 reduction ordered by the finance board. But the school board did not follow the finance board’s recommendation to eliminate a teaching position at the school. The board of finance had voted unanimously for the $100,000 reduction after the elementary school budget was presented at a March 25 meeting.
Lon Seidman, chairman of the local school board, noted the finance board could impose an across-the-board budget reduction, but could not order the elementary school board to make a “targeted cut .”
Seidman said the local school board was unanimous in support of retaining the teaching position because eliminating it would leave one third grade class over the school’s class-size guidelines, which is 14-16 students per classroom in the third grade. Seidman said board members would further explain the decision at the town budget hearing, which is set for Wednesday April 7 at 7 p.m. in the town hall auditorium.
Cuts approved by the local board include $36,271 in deferred maintaince reductions, including putting off a planned carpet replacement, and the elimination of a proposed new part-time library aid position at a savings of $8,729. The board also designated $55,000 in savings on special education expenses because an anticipated increase in the number of special education students is now not expected to occur during the 2010-2011 school year.
The board of finance will conduct a final review of the town and elementary school budgets after the April 7 hearing, with a total spending package for 2010-2011 expected to go to the voters at the annual budget meeting on May 10 or via referendum. The total spending package includes the town’s share of the Region 4 education budget that goes to the voters of Chester, Deep River, and Essex in a May 4 referendum.