PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Superintendent Joseph Curtis insists that the district's $200,000 budget cut will not reduce additional positions. 

 

"We all feel strongly, and I'm sure that the [School Committee] does as well, that we will not reduce any additional staff members as a result of that $200,000 reduction," he said on Wednesday. 

 

The day before, a $216 million city budget was passed that included a last-minute reduction to the schools. During Tuesday's City Council meeting, an uprising of staff members worried that it would cut additional positions was attributed to misinformation. 

 

Curtis reported that the district would be comfortable bringing forward proposals for non-staff member cuts on June 26, sending out the information to committee member before hands. 

 

Mayor Peter Marchetti said they be celebrating because $200,000 of the $82 million school budget is not a great difference from what was put forward. He cut $400,000 from the original proposal before bringing it to the council. 

 

"I think we need to take a step back and respect the entire process and respect the fact that at the end of the day, we got a budget that was very close to what we were looking for," he said. 

 

Committee member Diana Belair was "dismayed" by the council's action to cut additional monies from an already reduced budget.