By Ethan Forman
DANVERS — The School Committee last night approved $300,000 in additional cuts to the upcoming academic year's budget in a move that will trim seven teaching positions: four through attrition and three by layoffs or shifts in personnel.
The "Plan C" spending request comes amid a backdrop of what committee members described as one of dwindling state aid. They made a plea for Town Meeting to increase the meals tax to generate cash for town coffers and alleviate pressure on all town budgets.
The School Committee approved its nearly $31.8 million budget by a 5-0 vote last night, a plan that is down $600,000 from the start of the budget cycle earlier this year.
The school budget approved last night is down $300,000 from a March 2 budget proposal.
If approved, the budget would still represent a nearly 4.1 percent, $1.2 million increase over this year's budget. Still, members said that was not enough.
"The ABCs have got me this year," said School Committee member Bill Bates, referring to the "Plan A," "Plan B" and "Plan C" names of the budgets the board mulled in recent weeks.
"It's gotten to the point where we are going to need help from the parents and the residents," said Bates, adding that he does not favor more taxes, but that the town could use money from a proposed meals tax. Bates said he spoke with state Rep. Ted Speliotis, D-Danvers, who warned him communities should brace for a 4 percent cut in local aid.
"I don't mind paying a little bit more if I go out to eat if it will help the community," said School Committee member Jean McCartin about the proposal to raise the meals tax from 6.25 percent to 7 percent with Danvers keeping the difference.
The School Committee acted on their budget in advance of a meeting with selectmen tonight.
Town Manager Wayne Marquis and selectmen have been scrubbing the town budget, which includes a meals tax or a trash fee meant to close a $700,000 revenue shortfall due to a plunge in other revenue sources. School Committee representatives are among those scheduled to meet with selectmen at 6:30 p.m. in Town Hall, 1 Sylvan St.
The School Committee held off voting on its budget last week so Superintendent Lisa Dana, Finance and Administration Director Richard Warren, and administrators could whittle down a budget they said carried little wiggle room to begin with.
The so-called Plan B budget had carried a 5.1 percent, nearly $1.56 million increase. Of that increase, $1.4 million was earmarked for contractual salary increases and $117,000 was meant to cover staff changes.
The schools are also dealing with an approximate $450,000 cut from the state for so-called circuit breaker aid for extraordinary special education expenses. On the plus side, the retirement of four teachers will save $157,000, Dana said.
School officials said there was little room to cut anywhere else but from salaries, and that was exactly where Dana went to find another 1 percent or $313,077. (Every 1 percent of the school's budget represents $300,000).
Three of the positions to be trimmed involve three teachers who were out on unpaid leave who decided not to return, Dana said. Another teacher has recently asked for unpaid leave next year.
Other positions being cut include a fifth-grade teacher at the Smith School because a large class is moving up to the Middle School. That means there will be two fifth-grade classes at the Smith School instead of three. A high school teacher position will also be trimmed, and so will an aide at the Holten Richmond Middle School.
"There are some positions we are not going to fill, but we are going to eliminate three," McCartin said.
The final staffing decisions will be made between now and June 1, Dana said.
Last year, teachers' and nurses' unions rejected a wage freeze meant to cover a similar shortfall, and that resulted in the loss of seven teaching positions.
Bates revealed last night the School Committee had gone to the Danvers Teachers Association and asked them to delay step increases until the last day of the upcoming fiscal year to save money, but the union declined.
"I'm disappointed that didn't come through, but we will move on from that," Bates said.
Bates asked Dana if she could continue to move the district forward, and Dana said she could, because the budget preserves math coaches, teacher leaders and English language arts positions seen as linchpins to the district's strategic plan.
"I need some assurances you can do this with these numbers," Bates said.
"This preserves the solid foundation we have," Dana said, but the budget does not move the district forward as quickly as some would like, she added.
Staff writer Ethan Forman can be reached at 978-338-2673 or by e-mail at eforman@salemnews.com.
