Last night the School Administration began to draw a picture of what is being described as a bleak fiscal year. The Warrant Committee has requested that the schools provide a level funded budget. That is, make do in FY12 with the same amount that was available in FY11. To do that the schools need to cut $1.7 million in services.

Level funded budgets are not the same as level service budgets. It inevitably costs more to provide the same level of service from one year to the next because of salary requirements, pensions, increases in various service and utility costs, etc.

The school administration estimates it would cost $35,158,521 to provide the current level of services for FY12. A level funded budget is $33,392,036. Hence, the administration needs to cut services in the amount $1,766,485.

Matt Gilles, School Business Administrator, outlined possible savings that can be made from non-salaried expense items. The savings totaled ~$948K. Some of the cost savings identified were: solar panel procurement (as part of Green Communities Act), savings in texts, material, and supplies, retirement estimates (i.e. retiring teachers with decades of service can be replaced by lower earning new teachers. It is not known how many retirements there will be), reorganizing of custodial department (will require discussions with the union), etc. Officials repeatedly mentioned that many of the numbers discussed were preliminary and that this budget was a draft. One of the drivers in the Warrant Committee’s request is the anticipation of additional cuts in state aid which the Massachusetts Taxpayers Association estimates between 5% – 10% (~$900k for Milton, according to SC member Glenn Pavlicek).

But the Governor’s budget is not due until January and the legislature will not release a budget until March. The figures are not known, which is why the WC plans conservatively.SC member Mary Kelly noted that some of the cuts that Mr. Gilles outlined were one time cuts and their effect was really to just push out the funding cliff for some period of time. He acknowledged that was correct.

The remaining amount of cost savings,$818K, would be made to salaried personnel; administrators, teachers, aides, custodians, et al. Asst Superintendent Phelan did not go into details. He said that a proposal of cuts in staff would be made at the next meeting.

Pavlicek summed it up, saying, it is a “fairly bleak scenario.”

Last night’s session opened with a public hearing on the budget. Three parents took advantage of the opportunity.

Two parents requested that officials look at restoring an aide in the 2nd Grade at Glover. They complimented the job the teacher was doing but said the class size was such that an aide was needed. They also said, “We are willing to help as we can and be part of the solution.” Ms. Sutherland, representing the newly formed Milton Visual Art Alliance, a parent group advocating for improved art instruction at the elementary schools, presented the findings of a survey the group had conducted regarding the public’s awareness of status of art instruction and desire to see it improved. She especially encouraged the committee to review the comments that were submitted as they were “heartfelt” expressions of the need to do something about the issue.

Other business included but was not limited to:

• Steve Traister, Athletic Director, gave a quick summary of the status of athletics. He was joined by Matt Gilles for a review of the athletic program budget. Milton has some of the higher athletic user fees in the league ($250 per sport, $500 for hockey. There is a family cap of $1250 [$1500- for hockey]). Traister emphasized that no student is turned away. students fees are waived for those on free or reduced lunch programs and any number of payment plans can be arranged. However, participation in sports is down and the reason, Gormley said, is user fees. She is committed to trying to find alternative funding sources to remove user fees for sports and activities. For sports the total user fee amount is $235K. The other funding mechanisms (eg. fundraisers, banner sales etc.) would stay in place.Gormley appeared exceptionally adamant in her desire to address this. “[Athletics] should be part of the public school experience. We have to work to eliminate user fees.” Ms. Kelly said it was a “laudable goal” but did not want parents to think that they would not have user fees next year.
• Mr. Keohane summed up his participation at the meeting of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees. Ironically, one of the key topics of concern was child obesity and one of the key strategies to combat it is participation in sports.Mr. Keohane will also be taking the place of Mr. Huban on the screening committee that will be reviewing candidates for Director of Consolidated Facilities. Mr. Huban has a conflicting professional committment.
• Ms. Gormley reviewed a number of recent events of note. A plaque has been reinstated commemorating the lives of MHS students sacrificed in WWII. This week-end the school will be hosting hundreds of student musicians from around the south shore who will be auditioning for the Senior District concert to be held in the spring. Lastly, a mock trial team is up and running. The Pierce Middle School Mock Trial Club will be arguing its first case at Quincy District Court on 12/15 with the Honorable Judge Robert Baylor presiding. (Details to come.)