http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20111110/NEWS02/711109877
Published November 10, 2011 in the Rutland Herald
Springfield schools running over budget
By Christian Avard
Staff Writer
SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield School District is tightening its money belt after school officials announced recently it is operating in the red.
On Town Meeting Day, voters passed a $26,162,114 budget by a slim margin. According to Springfield School District Business Manager Steven Hier, the school district will overspend that amount by $523,325.
“It has been developing since the start of the school year on July 1,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Frank Perotti said. “Throughout the summer, we were aware that fuel and energy costs were going to be a major issue. We predicted oil and gas were going to be $2.59 a gallon each. We’re off by about a dollar. Those in itself are in the excess of $100,000, just for the utilities.”
Perotti said balancing the budget will not be easy. A Federal Education Jobs grant will cover $332,797 of the deficit and the district will also receive $43,391 in Federal School Improvement funds. The $147,137 shortfall will be covered by a freeze in additional expenditures.
Perotti said it was too early to tell how much that will save. This is not the first time they had to implement a budget freeze to save money.
“We froze the expenditures budget last year and saved $160,000 and broke even. If we’re going to manage our expenditures then we’re not going to be able to do as many field trips or buy the expensive materials we’d like to purchase for students,” Perotti said.
Health care benefits also contributed to the school budget deficit. Last November, 272 employees enrolled in the school district’s health insurance plan. Perotti said the school district hired 10 additional workers to accommodate a growing number of students with emotional and/or behavioral disabilities. According to Hier, the school district is now responsible for approximately $256,000 of the monthly premium.
“We strive to live within the budget the school district gives us. We can’t always predict these things that are going to happen that increase costs that are unintended. We’re going to be working hard as we look to the next budget year, looking at transportation and energy costs and see where we can save money. I don’t think we have any choice,” Perotti said. “We have to strive to not add any more costs to next year’s budget based on this year’s deficit. We need to try to end up in the black.”
The Springfield School District Budget Advisory Committee will meet Monday and Nov. 17 to discuss the 2012 budget. The Springfield School District includes Springfield High School, Riverside Middle School, Union Elementary, and Elm Hill Primary School.
When is this fiscal irresponsibility going to stop? Note to the Superintendent: Don't ask for more money. The school system has become grossly expensive and the taxpayer has become the fall guy. The curriculum has been dumbed down so "No child is left behind." Well, I've got news for you; it's become an epic failure. Case and point: I know of at least one student who NEVER goes to school but still manages to get to the next grade. I know another student who gets really good grades but couldn't spell or write legibly to save his life. The system better smarten up. You want more money? Start showing results.
ReplyDelete$26 Million DOLLARS????
ReplyDeleteBLAUGHHAHALAUGHLAUGH HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA
$26,000,000.00 ha ha ha ha for 1 year?
I just died from laughing so hard
Ha
what a ride !!!!!!~~!!!!!!
I want my freakin TAX MONEY BACK.
ReplyDeleteHey parents. We Are WITH YOU
ReplyDeleteStart by teaching your kids to read and write at home.
From birth.
Babies are smarter than we give them credit for.
If we’re going to manage our expenditures then we’re not going to be able to do as many field trips or buy the expensive materials we’d like to purchase for students,” Perotti said.
ReplyDeleteWhere do we get jackwagons like Perotti? And a PhD jackwagon, at that!
"Field trips" and "expensive materials" might have to be reduced in order to meet the budget? Well then, DOCTOR Perotti, MAKE IT HAPPEN!
Springfielders are sick and tired of your whining and sniveling. You are earning a nice, fat six figure salary to manage a school system within its budget, so DO IT!
Taxpayers didn't run up to you and furnish you with a heating fuel price estimate, you did that to yourself. Tough. Now you've got to make the difficult decisions that the town is paying you to do. Quit making excuses and get the damn job done.
How much longer do we have to put up with this guy? Taxpayers should contact the school board and demand that he be fired.
Why doesn't the school district close the Park Street School building as intended? The town voted to close it, but it's still open!? The central office and after school program need to find new homes. Let's stop heating that huge building and save a nice chunk of change!
ReplyDeleteTax payers should be enraged that the Park Street building is still open! What was the point of consolidating the elementary schools when in the end the Park Street School building is in use and costing everyone (tax payers, teachers and students) so much? I'm sure the money that could be saved in closing the building could be put to better use. Teacher's supply budgets are next to nothing, the threat of teaching staff cuts is always looming, and we continue to heat a building that was never supposed to remain open. This does not add up!
We need to get rid of Mr. PHD!! Ever since this guy has been in charge, we have had our taxes raised out of control, for what, so he can have his heat up or AC on in an empty building!!!!!!!!!He should be paying for the heat and AC in that place, he's the only one there!!!!WE voted to close it, it passed, so close that place already!! Springfield must stand up and put our foot down with this joker! The budget passed for a certain amount now stick to it! Do you think 1/2 million $$$ is nothing??? That's too much. Cut his salary if he still wants a job, seeing he can't do it as it is. Our kids deserve better, cut field trips and supplies to teach our kids????? That is not the answer I want to hear, after all those kids need an education and that is what the budget is for, Good teachers, good education...if we can't provide it for our kids with 26 MILLION dollars, SOMETHING IS SERIOUSLY WRONG!! We need a vote on hiring a new superintendant, this guy doesn't deserve a dime!
ReplyDeleteI am guessing they don't teach finance at this school?
ReplyDeleteAnd they are missing a math department too.
Am I close?