School Committee Presented 17 Staff Cuts in Proposed Budget

The Newport School Committee and the City Council came to a head Wednesday night during a joint meeting to discuss the school committee’s tentative budget. 

During the meeting, Superintendent John Ambrogi requested a one percent decrease from this year’s budget, or $23.1 million of the $36.7 million total FY 2012 budget request. The school committee proposal included a $754,054 shortfall.

The decrease, Ambrogi said, was the result of eliminating 17 staff positions in the public school system.

The school department proposed savings from eliminating a Thompson Middle School clerk, an Underwood School para-educator, two elementary teachers and two maintenance staff, totaling $353,011. Eliminating grant funded positions, including a World of Work teacher, a job coach, and a special education coordinator totaled $266,335 in savings.

Capital improvement plans were able to be funded by money held in escrow by the City of Newport for school improvements for $200,000 as a one-time fund. The proposal also included $63,764 in savings by adjusted retiree health care benefits.

“We looked at every area where we could possibly save funds. The only place where you have declining funds are in salary and benefits,” Ambrogi said. Eight-four percent of the proposed budget is made up of salaries and benefits, which are recurring costs.

The main problem city councilors had with the budget proposal was why the school committee asked for more money than last year’s allocation of $22.5 million despite the elimination of several jobs and declining student enrollment.

“What are the new expenses. . .for this year and why are layoffs are being proposed,” Councilor Naomi Neville asked Ambrogi.

Ambrogi cited rising expenses include teachers’ step increases, totaling $219,000, utility costs and a 2.4 percent increase in healthcare costs. The school department is also receiving less state aid and will continue to receive less stimulus money over the next five years.

Staff cuts are a result of “less funds and more costs,” and because of that the committee had to develop a “fiscally conservative” budget. Since the 2004-2005 school year, enrollment has declined 22 percent while staff decline has been 30 percent.

“We’re not only saving on the expense side but we’re losing on the revenue side,” he said. “It’s a two-fold whammy.”

The next round of cuts, if mandated by the city council, will be programs, school committee member Jo Eva Gaines said.

The council and school committee agreed to draft a detailed account of how specific expenses were rising to justify the increased appropriation request.

“It’s a wholistic product,” said Mayor Stephen Waluk of the budget proposal. “It seems to me you should be able to do that with what you have.”