By Paul Leighton
BEVERLY — After three months of impassioned debate, packed public hearings and a historic Proposition 21/2 override election, one of the city's most divisive budget seasons came to an anti-climactic end last night.
With only a handful of people on hand at City Hall, the City Council voted 8-1 to give the schools an extra $680,000 and spare the city the possibility of closing a second elementary school or making more program cuts.
Councilors spoke more about the excruciating budget process than about their final decision, which they had discussed in length the night before at a subcommittee meeting. The city ended up closing the McKeown School, laying off 30 school employees and moving about 400 elementary students into different schools.
"The past few months have been nothing short of chaotic for the city of Beverly," Councilor-at-large Pat Grimes said. "It's very clear that Beverly has a flawed budget process."
Ward 2 Councilor Wes Slate said much of the debate has been "heartening" because so many people became involved. But he also said the controversy has revealed a "corrosive mistrust of anything and anyone involved in government and politics."
The council ended up approving an overall budget of $97.5 million budget and a school spending plan of $46 million. Ward 5 City Councilor Don Martin voted against giving the schools the extra $680,000. He didn't comment on his vote last night, but the night before he said he wasn't convinced the administration could continue to operate five schools within its budget.
Superintendent James Hayes, who was not at last night's meeting, had said he would have to make drastic cuts to programs without the $680,000, including the possibility of eliminating funding for all sports. Hayes had said it was probably too late to close another school, but that decision would have been up to the School Committee.
School Committee members Annemarie Cesa, James Latter and David Manzi were in the audience last night, as was Tracey Armstrong, one of the leaders of Yes! for Beverly, a citizens group that had pushed for the Proposition 21/2 override, which voters soundly rejected on June 3.
Ward 3 Councilor John Burke voted for the school budget, but not before protesting what he called "blackmail" on the part of Mayor Bill Scanlon. Scanlon had offered the School Committee the extra money only if it voted to approve his five-school plan.
"I'd love to stick it to the mayor and say, 'You can't blackmail us,'" but the responsible thing to do is keep the fifth school open for this school year," Burke said.
Councilors spent much of the night talking about another hot-button topic, the $100-per-year trash fee. The council's finance subcommittee had recommended lowering the fee to $80, but the full council voted 5-4 last night to keep it at $100.
That vote is not yet official, however. Burke invoked a provision that allows councilors to hold a vote, meaning the council will have to do it again at its meeting Monday. Burke said he held the vote because there was confusion over the outcome of the vote in the finance subcommittee.
Councilors argued back and forth about the procedural matters, with the discussion getting heated at times. Slate objected to some councilors holding a side meeting with Finance Director John Dunn during a recess.
"If you want an example of why people voted strongly that they were dissatisfied with how government operates, this is it," Slate said.
"It's a great speech, but spare us," Martin answered.
At one point, City Council President Tim Flaherty pounded his gavel and said, "I'm stopping this. This is ridiculous."
Highlights of the budget
r $46 million — public schools
r $8.5 million — employees' and retirees' health insurance
r $7.6 million — debt payments
r $6.8 million — retirees' pensions and annuities
r $6.4 million — Police Department
r $5.4 million — Fire Department
r $3.4 million — Public Services Department
r $1.7 million — libraries
