Budget workshop 3/27
First up, the Library... the Director, Ramona Harten, made her case... noting that the lobby had recently been remodeled with a $20,000 grant. And similar to the Senior Center last night, she continued on with all of the money that has been raised independent of property taxes... $39,000 from the Friends of the Library and another $100,000 in other donations... all of which was music to my ears.
She further strengthened her case for the solid performance of the library by explaining that during the past year, while Barnes & Nobles' sales were dropping, the library's circulation has gone up several percentage points.
She then explained how the library is trying switch from a "bar code" system to a "radio frequency" system. The goal here would be similar to what you see in Stop n Shop... you'd no longer need people to check you out... you'd get checked out automatically.
And she wrapped up her presentation by requesting an increase in hours for a "Librarian II" position (from 25hrs/wk to 35hrs/wk). The story behind it is this... currently this position is vacant. It began getting funded in the current budget in February (last month). However, after interviewing candidates, the conclusion was reached that the best candidates would only accept a 35hrs/wk position. So rather than filling the position in February, the hope is that the Council will increase the budget to 35hrs/wk, then the position can be permanently filled with one of the best-qualified candidates. And this all sounds good, but...
I'm left wondering, how much do we need? And how much do we want? I certainly want to have the best-qualified staff... but at what cost? The cost for this increase would be $12,000/yr + incremental benefits (25% = $2,000-4,000/yr). Considering that we just added Sunday hours (I was glad to support that), I don't know that we need to increase the number of hours for this position from 25hrs to 35hrs. I think I'd prefer to leave it at 25hrs/wk.
Finally, with regard to staffing, it was mentioned that with the new computer system, we might be able to move someone out from "behind the counter" to the lobby... providing us with a "Walmart style greeter." Again, I think that would be very nice... but not necessary. Taxes are a burden and I don't know that such a position would be in the best overall interests of the town. This is yet another reason why I hesitate in increasing the Librarian II position's hours (although these are probably different positions... so feel free to tell me I'm comparing apples n oranges). Anyway, end of the Library and onto the...
Department of Education/Board of Ed... some random thoughts... I said that while it is a Board decision, I'm not particularly in favor of adding two new teachers at a time when school enrollment is projected to drop by 57 students. (granted, that's a projection, but... all of this is a projection.) I asked why we wouldn't simply transfer two teachers from Darcey to the 1st grade? I'd tell you the answer, but to be blunt... it wasn't straightforward. And again... the BOE will do whatever it wishes... which is fair... so anyway, I saw no point in pursuing my question. Although this reminds me why I believe the BOE should be its own taxing authority... I wish we could do that with a Charter Revision.
I repeated my question from last year about consolidating non-school activities into fewer schools. The answer was what I expected... the Scouts, the PTAs, the basketball leagues, etc. all use the gyms & cafeterias. So for the most part... if they are going to use the schools... then they are going to use all the schools because they can't easily use classrooms.
I got a status update on the Smartboards. I think he said they ordered 55 and they arrived 2-3 weeks ago.
Once again, I strongly encouraged the schools to begin using biodiesel... noting that it will (indirectly) create jobs in Cheshire... I did skip my whole middle east commentary though. I think most everyone there has heard it plenty.
Going back to the idea of school population projections, I asked the schools how they project upcoming kindergarten sizes... my thinking was... I have lots of friends (who grew up here) who buy houses here in Cheshire who don't have kids for years... then they start to have kids and after five years, the kids will be in school. So in some cases, the schools may know 8-10 years before kids start arriving in Kindergarten. And I wanted to know if the schools do anything in relation to house sales.... the Superintendent said no. They use a fairly simple approach... they speak with the nursery schools and daycare centers in town to get projections for the next few years.... that sounded like a reasonable method for projecting future student populations.
And, last but not least, David Schrumm asked about the increasing numbers of Instructional Aides/Assistants. Paul Calaluce explained by citing an example of one particular student who required not one, but two instructional aides due to the child's "aggressive" behavior. My ears lit up. Frankly, it scared me a bit to hear the Asst Superintendent talking about aggressive behavior in school. So I asked him to define "aggressive." He said it could be spitting, biting, kicking, etc., but that it was only in younger children and it becomes more of a police matter in the older kids... wow. That one really concerned me.
Anyway, I'm done for tonight. Tomorrow night is benefits and a recap. Feel free to stop by.
Tim White
Town Council, Budget Committee
p.s. I think the next P&Z public hearing on the northend is April 11.
36 comments:
With the planned increase in income taxes by the State what plans do our leaders; Town Manager and Town Council have to reduce planned increases in spending? The Budget Committee may be happy with only a 1 mill possible tax increase but what about the income tax increase, revaluation increase next year? All of this adds up to a greater than 1 mill tax increase. If the answer is along the lines of local politicians cannot control Hartford ; that is the wrong answer. Local government needs to look forward at this issue and develop plans to redcue possible spending increase.
7:44am What services do you cut? That is fine to say but how would you do it?
doesn't matter.
cut!
We should stop all drivers entering Cheshire at the borders and not allow them in if they have children in the cars. If they are 65 and older we should buy them new Lincoln's and allow them to live the the lap of lux.
The Mad Flash here with all the answers
11:16am So lets start with police and fire and then move on to ems. Cut teachers and increase class size and then not plow the roads next winter. Cut trash pick up and let the parks go. Very easy to do I think that we should try it.
And when Orsini and Schrumm went with the zero budget the parents had to pay the extra 'tax' in fees at the high school. Both of these men decided to have some citizens 'write a check" to the school system. That was not leadership or thougtful planning. At least the last two budgets have allowed for small increases in the tax rate and saving money and keeping our services with tax breaks for the seniors-that kind of leadership I can live with!
I to am very concerned with adding teachers when enrollment is declining. Our school budget is a time bomb ticking but noone wants to hear it. We cannot keep adding teachers every year like we do.
It's because the Republicans kept costs down that we now have a surplus. I feel with the surplus we have we should not have any tax increase this year.
If you look at the history of this town our republican party has not been fiscally conserative, they let spending out pace inflation for most of the '90's. They allowed the education and town budgets to grow. They created this situation. They also allowed us to have one of the highest interest payments in the state and pushed for additional projects that were not necessary.
They had nothing to do with the current surpluses. In fact they would be bigger without the republican spending over the last 15 years.
Regarding the library - Forget the 35 hr. position. It's currently a 25 hr. position and it's vacant?! If the library switches to a radio frequency instead of bar code check out, and as you say, you won't need people to check out books, then let those "check out" people cover the hours of the 25 hr. position. They'll be out of a job anyway with the radio frequency system. It's not worth making a 35 hr position with the added costs of benefits. And we don't need any "greeters" at the door - give me a break! The library got the extra Sunday hours, so let's at least try curbing any further expense!! This must be a pet project of Esty's. Enough is enough.
3:25 I doubt these ideas originated with Elizabeth Esty. I think they probably started with Library staff… from my perspective, I haven’t seen Ms. Esty favor one department over another.
Dr. Florio will be able to hire all 7.5 positions if he gets enough retirements this year. He estimated in his budget a very low number (3 or 4) and it's usually up near 10 or so. So no matter what opinions the TC or BoE may have, he'll likely do whatever he wants anyway.
Lunchroom aides are now called teacher assistants - go figure. These are the people who supposedly supervise the lunch rooms and wipe off the tables.
Maintenence staff could be reduced - most just sit around and work on their own personal projects anyway or read the paper -a big waste of money.
At the BOE meeting that I watched, the BOE members specifically stated they did not feel the need to hire the teachers with declining enrollment. One member said he didn't want to just cut the teacher salary line item, he wanted it stated that Florio could not hire them. Why is Florio able to do as he pleases. There is no oversight regarding the school budget and the ones that lose are the taxpayers.
Everyone puts the blame on Hartford but we also have to cut spending locally. Even small increases in taxes every year hurt the taxpayer.
Anon 12:54 In the year of your so-called zero budget, residential property taxes increased by an average of 14%. I gather by your comments that you would have advocated a tax increase greater than 14%. What exactly was it that you felt was unfair about the 14% tax increase that it should have been larger and what was the impact to the Education Department (for whatever money they did not get)?
the same people who scream about "global warming" and "dependence on foreign oil" are the folks who insist on a constitutional right for free student parking at the High School
Guess they got their logic lessons from Al Gore
Ask this question of the Florio, how in the zero budget year when you claimed you needed 2.2 mil dollars and received 234k were you able to make the school system run. You had 1.4 mil in teacher salary increases required by contract. You had medical claims that went up. Where did you find the money? And if you do not belive these issues ask him how in a zero budget year when there was not enough money to fund the school system the medical reserve trust was increased? They will not answer these questions, because if they do the expose the truth. Here is the second question; ask the Supt why he did not fund the medical trust accounts to their full onthly value two years ago? He was supposed to deposit 450k every month for for 12 months into the BOE medical account. In MArch he decided based on lower claims he would only fund 350l inot he account for the next 4 months. That equals 100k for 4 months or 400k that went other accounts in the BOE. This is the same zero budget year he claimed the world will end and asked parents to fund sports at Dodd, threatened to cancel sports It was all nonsense, based on getting the educcrats parents mad at the bdget reductions.The sad part is if the Supt was openly honest about his medical costs he could ask for and get the extra money he needed for critical programs, but he refuses to do this. He would rather operate as they have in the past, just give me the money and trust me. Sorry, those days are gone.
The Superintendent preys on ignorance. But it works, so who is really to blame.
The zero budget was the Waterloo of the Republican party in Cheshire. Speaking of asking questions ask how Schrumm and Orsini went from being some of the top vote getters in the 03 election to being almost out of office in 05. Riddle me that Batman!!
Anon 12:54/8:32 So you have no cogent answer??????
I am glad that the boe only got $234,000 back in that supposed 0 budget year. The revaluation hit a lot of us hard with my taxes going up 13.5% If the dems had been in charge God knows how much more my taxes would have gone up!
The school system didn't fall apart, no one was laid off, and as far as any fees go, it's only fair that if you want to participate in sports you should help offset that half million dollars it costs the taxpayers each year. If you want to blame anyone about fees, blame the super as he could have reduced them by shifting money around in his budget...just like he does with those medical benefit numbers.
12:54 What do you mean "both of these men had citizens write checks to the school system"? I happen to be one of the few that made a donation that year TOTALLY on my own in the hopes that those that wanted to spend more on education would match my donation. Think of all the money that could have been raised for the school system! Funny thing happened though - NO ONE matched my donation. What does that tell you?
The moms and dads wrote 1,000's of checks to the Cheshire public (that idea of Orsini pulling out a letter and a donation without a mention as to who it was is very sneaky) schools on top of that tax increase. Your check to the school system however nice to see is not how to operate any govt. You cannot run a town or school on private donations that may or may not come. It is up to the council and board of ed to see to it that all bases are covered in a pinch.
As far as the 234k that year don't forget that both Schrumm and Orsini and Carroll (no longer on the council for that very reason) voted NOT TO SEND IT TO THE BOARD OF ED THAT YEAR!!. That was a very political vote to stick it to the board which was more transparent than glass and the voters saw right through that in 05. Bad policy will get ya every time.
anon 7:40, that 14 percent increase in taxes you cite was due to revaluation and nothing else. Be honest instead of spouting stuff without using the facts.
As for the zero budget, what did it mean, it meant that parking fees rose and some afterschool acitivities neded some measure of private funding. The point has been well made that depsite the superintendents whining over the zero budget they put mroe money in the medicla fund. Fact is Florio is full of it.
As for some of those afterschool acitivies, I recall the Ski coach getting up and complaining that parents woul dhave to pay and extra couple hundred to fund the ski trips. Oh woe is me? We need a ski team in Cheshire CT?
Get over it, this town is spoiled and full of itself....
You mean the full measure of private spending not some
Lets look at the facts
It was the Schrumm/Orsini tax that the parents paid to the tune of over 150 bucks per student per season. If you add that up that fully funded the sports programs and alot of other programs
You can say that the Super did not have to do it that way ok-but the blame for this was put on the Republicans and they still have that stain on them
Who cares? Dems, Reps who is worring about Cheshire? The fighting should stop and the work should start.
9:36 and 12:21
Who cares who wrote a check for a donation - point is that no other parents matched it.
Parents wrote 1,000s of checks and had to pay 150 participation fee - my kids played sports, I wrote checks for $1,000 plus each year to cover camps, equipment, etc - I would have paid an extra measly $150 without complaining - quit your bitchin.
As for parking fees - taxpayers pay for buses to transport students anyway - you didn't have to let them drive - they could have taken the bus.
As for the $234K - as far as I recall on that vote the r's wanted to adjust the amount given to boe to slightly less than $234K - the dems wanted them to have it all - it wasn't a big difference so don't try to make it that way.
Anon 9:36 - It was Schrumm and White who voted against giving the add'l $234K to the BOE. Check the minutes, the vote was 7-2 in favor.
Dr. Florio has gone on the record Sept or Aug meeting following the $250 parking fee--check the minutes--that if the 270 students did not drive to school, the town would have to put more buses on the routes to the tune of $27K per bus. He stated that they book over 100 kids on buses with capacity of 74-77 knowing that a certain number of kids won't take the bus. So these kids who stay after school for band/sport practice (and who don't have a late bus option) actually save the town money. CHS also allows seniors to come in late or go home early if they have study hall. As long as they allow this open campus style, they should not charge kids to park. Student parking does not cost the town anything--the lot still must be plowed and maintained as it is used for a multitude of events. All student parking could be banned and the town will not gain any revenue. The parking fee is simply a tax to 17 yr olds who can not vote in order to make up for any revenue cut by the TC. That is why it is not added in until AFTER the TC makes its cuts. There is no line item for this revenue in the budget that went to the TC. It is used to make up any cut revenue. It is not the BOE's job to make up fees--they have no taxing authority. Their job is to allocate the money the TC gives them.
By satate law there has to be a seat on a bus for every student (except for students who are within walking distance). They can not 'book a bus for 100 kids'. That is just wrong. So the kids are not saving the town any money by driving. Not true.
I seem to recall a Dept of Ed staffer saying that buses are routinely overbooked... and that the law requires a seat for every student.
I'm not sure to reconcile those two statements, but I'm pretty sure that both are true.
State law says you have to provide a seat on the bus for every student when it is "reasonable" and "desirable". Reasonable goes to the distance requirement. The BOE can claim that for the rest it is not desirable. Regardless of whether it is legal or not, the Super went on camera at a BOE meeting and said, as an example, that Bus 5 at CHS had 104 students booked on it. Check the tape.
It is a tax that can be avoided, you don't have to drive. I also think that it kids should pay it may reduce the traffic on Rt. 10 in the mornings and afternoons. The fee is a very good idea and maybe should be increased.
You are not reducing traffic if, instead of driving to school, a parent has to make a round-trip ride to the school to pick the child up after practice. Same number of miles. May reduce congestion in the a.m. but doubles it in the p.m.
That is not true. Since all pratices end at odd times it will reduce some traffic at times in the afternoon. I think that since students are not required to pay the BOE has the right to charge for the right to park and should consider increasing the charge.
What people are missing here is Binding Arbitration. If the contract that is awarded is more than the inflation rate what is the town council or the BOE to do? Nothing. An arbitrator not from Cheshire makes the award for 3yrs. Teachers need salary increases like everyone else. So we as citizens must depend on our elected officials to find other ways to find the money. So let's ask all our state senators, reps and local government to put their thinking caps and come up with some solutions. It might not be easy but we all must try. Get involved!!!
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