Adams & School District Find Budget Compromise

School Committee Chairwoman Darlene Rodowicz, addressing the board, thought the compromise reasonable

ADAMS, Mass. — The Selectmen on Wednesday night cut three full-time positions to give $92,000 more in funding to the Adams-Cheshire Regional School District.

The increase is expected to save some of the 28 school district positions that would have to be cut if the town kept to its original budget allocation.

The compromise, while lower than the school district had hoped, keeps the town budget under the levy limit.

"I think we have reached a compromise that would avoid either the question of an override and devastating cuts on either side," Town Administrator Tony Mazzucco said. "There are still going to be cuts, we are still going to reduce staff positions, but I think that this will be the best path forward for the community as a whole."

The School Committee had approved a $19.4 million budget that would assess Adams $5,143,382, instead of the $4.7 million the Selectmen had allocated in the total budget voted on in March. This left a nearly $360,000 gap between the town and the district.

Mazzucco said the stuff cuts will include three full-time positions. The code enforcement officer will be laid off, saving $53,000; the other two positions are vacant.

He said the town has had a code enforcement officer for 10 years but many communities do not have one. He said the Board of Health can handle many of the code enforcement officer's duties

"The Board of Health can respond too many of the health complaints that we get such as hoarding, trash issues, septic failures, inspections, and apartment rental inspections," he said. "The board indicated they are more available than we utilize them."

He added that if the Board of Health faces a larger issue, it can reach out to the state and there will be money in the budget to hire an outside service if needed. The town could also enter into shared service contract.

Also eliminated will be the outreach coordinator post for the Council on Aging. This item was reduced by $23,000 and the position will be replaced by two part-time employees. The full-time administrative assistant to the assessor will also be cut by $16,000 and replaced with two part-time positions.

Mazzucco said these cuts will minimally impact the town's services and meet his ultimate goal of shrinking the municipal staff.

School Committee Chairwoman Darlene Rodowicz said although there will still be cuts, the compromise is reasonable. She said there is still a lot of work ahead of the town and School Committee.

"I think it's a compromise and it took us many years to get to this position and it's going to take us many years to get us back to somewhere more reasonable," she said.

She said all of the additional funds will go to teachers, aides, and direct-care services for students that would be lost otherwise. The total increase in the assessment is up more than 5 percent percent over this year's.

Superintendent Kristen Gordon thanked Mazzucco and the board for working with her and the School Committee but said she wanted to remind the Selectmen and residents that even though the cuts will not be as devastating, the district will still be operating with less staff than it has this year.

"We want to be out of a Level 3 [state rating] more than anyone, but this is not additional positions, this is not even restoring the positions that we had this year," Gordon said. "This is not above and beyond what we had this year: This is not even getting us back to where we are this year."

Selectman John Duval asked if the School Committee could communicate more with the board and show that the extra money is helping the district stay above Level 4.

The levels are based on student advancement on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System tests.

Town Administrator Tony Mazzucco said the reduction in town positions works with his plans to reduce municipal staffing.

Rodowicz said the 6 percent increase will put the district in a more hopeful position to stay out of Level 4 and work on moving to a Level 2.

She said the district is still looking for creative solutions, such as meeting with other districts and advocating for more collaboration and pressuring the Legislature.

Duval said he was also concerned about the deterioration at C.T. Plunkett School and was afraid it would end up like Memorial School.

Rodowicz said the School Committee has a maintenance plan it would share with the Selectmen, however, with budget constraints it is hard to fund.

Gordon said the back stairs at Plunkett specifically need repairs. Mazzucco said the town may be able to help and fix them at no cost and save the district money because it would not have to go out a hire a vender.

"Whether we save the town $5,000 or the school district $5,000, the bottom line is that the taxpayers save $5,000 and it's money we can reinvest somewhere else," he said.  

The Finance Committee will have to decide whether to recommend the amendment. The School Committee must accept it, too.

Selectman Jeffrey Snoonian commended the School Committee and the administration for their hard work. He said the compromise represents the commitment both the town and the district have to the students.

The Selectmen also voted, by request of the Conservation Commission, to lower its membership by attrition from seven to five. The commission requested this because its has had a difficult time keeping a full board and reaching a quorum.

The Selectmen also reorganized after Monday's annual town election. Richard Blanchard will now be chairman and Snoonian will be vice chairman.

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