Selectmen Agree to Help Tackle School Deficit

Selectmen and School Committee members stressed cooperation Monday, as the two bodies agreed to work together to solve the school district's $1.5 million deficit and put processes in place to make sure a similar shortfall doesn't happen again.

"I hope we use [the deficit] as a stepping stone to go forward and work closer together," Selectman Kevin Greeley said at Monday's board meeting.

Although Selectmen expressed some resentment toward why the deficit occurred and when it was uncovered, they all did agree with Greeley that it was time to move on and focus on solving the problem and implementing future safeguards.

"We should put our energies toward resolving this," said Selectman John Hurd, who called the deficit a "distraction" and "diversion" from progress.

In late August, school officials uncovered the $1.5 million shortfall to close fiscal year 2010. Administrators said the gap was due to substantial decreases in expected revenues, some of which may still be recovered in fiscal year 2011, which began July 1, and a dramatic increase in out-of-district special education costs, which have a history of being volatile.

Administrators soon developed a plan to recover the funds in fiscal year 2011, and School Committee members set out to investigate the reasons behind the deficit and improve oversight and procedures in the future.

School Committee Chairman Joseph Curro Jr. said Monday he would only offer explanations, not excuses, as to why the deficit wasn't communicated sooner and more broadly. He said residents' emotions have ranged from "surprise, to disappointment, to frustration and outright anger." Some have even called for personnel changes, he said.

"That action is absolutely not out of the question," said Curro, adding it's important to investigate what happened first.

Selectman Diane Mahon, the board's chairwoman, said she believes the deficit was years in the making and wants to see appropriate action taken.

"The School Committee needs to take swift and decisive action," she told Curro and the other committee members – Joseph Curran and Cindy Starks – in attendance.

"I'm not saying that you're not," Mahon added.

Mahon said she also wants to see greater transparency from school officials.

Selectmen scheduled a Special Town Meeting for Monday, Nov. 15, in order to reduce the school district's appropriation by $1.5 million so that the town can set its tax rate in December. They also agreed to notify the District Attorney of the district's shortfall, as is required by law.

"I'm not aware of the District Attorney taking action in similar situations," Town Counsel Juliana Rice said.

Curro said in addition to the steps being taken by the School Committee, department heads no longer have purchasing power and new monthly budget reports are expected this year.

Curran, a fellow committee member speaking as a resident, taxpayer and father, said he was ashamed that the School Committee, himself included, did not ask for the monthly budget reports sooner and said he was ashamed that school officials did not reveal such information.

"How long can this lack of oversight be tolerated?" he asked rhetorically. "I hope we take immediate action, and we have to learn a lesson from this."