Board of Education: Some Staff Jobs May Be Saved From Planned Cuts

What should a cash-strapped school district do with a million dollars?

During a standing-room-only meeting of the Montclair Board of Education on Monday, board members reported that some school staff members’ jobs may be saved from expected downsizing, but Montclair residents’ taxes are still likely to go up and the district’s tentative budget is still in the red.

School officials reported that that after announcing controversial cuts to staff and services to help make up for a $10.9 million budget shortfall for the 2015-16 school year, the district has identified $1.16 million in potential savings through retirement and health benefits that will alleviate some of the fiscal pressure.

But what should be done with this potential windfall?

In February, the board announced plans to lay off 11 full-time paraprofessionals and 8 full-time teachers in the district, a suggestion that caused a public backlash that continued for weeks.

The board also plans to raise the tax levy up to 4.15 percent ($4.21 million), meaning the average homeowner should expect their taxes to rise if the school budget is ultimately passed.

Faced with a choice between lowering the tax levy or restoring cut services and staff, the board leaned towards the latter option.

In a non-binding straw vote, board members voted 4 to 3 – with David Cummings, Jessica de Koninck, and Anne Mernin opposed – to approve the revised draft budget and earmark the potential $1.16 million in health and retirement benefit savings for “personnel” use, leaving it up to the district administration to figure out exactly what staffing restorations to make.

While the savings would help to restore some of the planned staffing cuts, some cuts would still need to be made, acknowledged Brian Fleischer, the district’s chief operating officer.

This point was vociferously opposed during over an hour of public comment.

One parent unveiled a poster of her child – a student in the district – holding a sign that asked to save her teachers’ jobs. Another parent stated that she had collected multiple signatures for a petition to protest the planned budget. In addition, two Montclair High School students made impassioned pleas to rescind the staffing cuts.

The approved draft budget will now go before the municipal Board of School Estimate, which will rule on the ultimate fate of the budget. The BSE is due to meet for a public hearing on March 30 before making its final ruling on April 6.

See a line-by-line breakdown of the proposed 2015-16 school budget here.

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