By Paul Leighton
Staff writer
June 05, 2008 06:00 am BEVERLY — Voters determined the fate of McKeown School on Tuesday when they rejected a Proposition 21/2 override that would have kept the school open. Now the future of another elementary school could be in the hands of a smaller group of voters — the City Council. Cove School is scheduled to remain open under a plan devised by Mayor Bill Scanlon that would add $680,000 to the school budget. But the City Council has the final say on the city's budget, including the school budget, and councilors are asking for more details on the mayor's plan before they give their approval. Ward 4 City Councilor Kevin Hobin, whose territory includes Cove School, filed an order this week asking the mayor to come before councilors and spell out the "sustainability" of his plan. Scanlon is scheduled to meet with councilors tonight at 7 at City Hall. Council President Tim Flaherty said he wants to avoid a scenario in which Cove School stays open for one year only to close the next, forcing some students to change schools two years in a row. When McKeown School closes at the end of this month, students from across the city will be redistricted among the five remaining schools. "I don't think anybody wants to be in a situation where we're closing the Cove School a year from now," he said. Flaherty said he can't remember the City Council ever cutting the school budget and said such a move would be a "historic vote." Asked if that could actually happen, he said, "There's always that possibility." The difference this year, Flaherty said, is that the School Committee is divided on how to proceed. The School Committee voted 5-2 to keep Cove open, but one of the "yes" voters, James Latter, now says the plan is not sustainable past next year. Superintendent James Hayes recommended closing both Cove and McKeown as the only way to close the budget gap, but the School Committee opted for Scanlon's plan to keep five elementary schools, including Cove. Finding the money To keep Cove open, Scanlon plans to give the schools $680,000 each year from the general budget, money that he said has been freed up through higher-than-expected trash fee collections, lower trash disposal costs due to improved recycling and a rebate from the city's trash collection contractor for the value of waste paper. "The three of them I believe are sufficient to sustain the $680,000," Scanlon said. Asked how long that money would be enough to keep open five elementary schools, Scanlon said, "I feel pretty comfortable with five years." Scanlon said it's important for residents to continue to increase their recycling in order to save money to help the schools. The city was about on pace with last year's recycling rate through the first four months of this year, he said. Those numbers could improve as the city realizes the benefits of the large paper recycling toters that are being sold to residents, he said. Hayes has disagreed with some of Scanlon's calculations for the five-school plan, so Scanlon said he could also provide up to $200,000 this year to cover any difference in their numbers, as well as another $100,000 to make up for any "shaky estimates." The $300,000 would come from the city's "reserved for unforeseen" account, he said. Flaherty said he did not know yet when the council will vote on the school budget. Hayes is due to discuss the school budget with councilors on Monday. The council is expected to approve the overall city budget on June 26, in time for the new fiscal year that starts July 1.
Scanlon's plan Where Scanlon says the money will come from to keep Cove School open and maintain five elementary schools for at least five years: r $360,000 from the general fund made available by higher-than-expected trash fee payments. The $75-per-household trash fee brings in about $1.25 million per year, $250,000 to $275,000 more than was anticipated. r $260,000 in savings from improved recycling. The city reduced the amount of trash it sends to the Saugus incinerator by 3,493 tons last year, at a savings of more than $70 per ton. r $60,000 rebate for the value of waste paper. The city has a provision in its contract with its trash collector that gives the city money if the value of reusing waste paper rises. r Total: $680,000 per year
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