Fought a 2009 “efficiency committee” recommendation to close the Parks and RecreationDepartment pre-school program.This is the closest thing we have to a publicly funded pre-school; it generates revenue for the Parks and Recreation Department.Eventually, the move to close the pre-school was dropped by the efficiency committee with the understanding that as soon as the school department could start a public pre-school the recreation department’s pre-school program would be terminated.
- Just two months later the proposed school budget for 2009 had a line item of approximately $220,000 to pilot a public pre-school program. However, a late push by the majority of the council required the school department to cut this program.
- As a result, I voted against the budget.
- We needed to fund the program then because state revenue sharing projections for the following year were even worse.
- News coverage of the issue can be seen in the Forecaster article below:
“Brunswick voters to decide school budget on June 9
Jun 03, 2009 12:40 pm
BRUNSWICK — Voters will be asked to ratify a $33.4 million budget for the School Department on June 9.
The spending plan was adopted by the Town Council on Monday, but must be validated by voters under state law.
…. three councilors objected to what they described as the council’s 11th-hour mandate to slash $250,000 from the School Department’s original $33.7 million budget. Although the department ultimately cut about $205,000 to meet the council’s directive for a no-tax increase budget, members of the School Board and Superintendent Paul Perzanoski said the cuts came at the expense of the start-up of a highly anticipated preschool program.
The program was scheduled to start next fall. However, according to Perzanoski, funds allocated by the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act to plan and start the program were diverted to meet the council’s mandate. Two School Board members spoke against the cut during a May 18 public hearing.
On Monday, Vice Chairman Benet Pols and councilors Ben Tucker and Karen Klatt joined the opposition.
Pols argued that eliminating start-up funds for the program virtually ensured that it wouldn’t come to fruition this year, or for the “next five years.”
“Surely nobody on this council thinks we’re going to have … $250,000 to start-up (the program) in 2010 or 2011,” Pols said. “It happens now, or really, not at all.”
Pols added that two previous councils and this council’s efficiency subcommittee endorsed the preschool program.
Tucker said he was persuaded by Pols’ comments.
“It’s fundamentally unfair for this council, at the 11th hour, to ask for such a large cut in the school budget,” he said.
Councilor Joanne King, however, was unmoved by those arguments, adding that she didn’t appreciate the “allegations” that the council was responsible for axing the program. She also suggested that the School Department is using the popularity of the preschool program to leverage public opinion against difficult budget choices.
“Every time we ask the school committee to cut something, it’s horrible,” she said. “And there always seems to be something thrown into the mix that’s extra horrible.”
….
Councilor David Watson joined King in refuting claims that the council’s mandate was a last-minute decision.
“We’ve always done it this way,” he said.
….
The School Department’s original proposal for a budget of $33.7 million would have resulted in an increase of 0.16 percent.”
- One of the ironies is that the program, once initiated, would then have become a revenue generator. Each enrolled student aged four and up would have increased the amount of state funding Brunswick Schools were entitled to. Given the fact that in the 2011 budget season the school department was forced to cut about 40 positions and close a school, it now seems as though a public pre-school will not be available in Brunswick anytime soon.
- A second irony is that by failing to fund the preschool program the majority of the council undercut the efficiency committee’s stated desire to consolidate all school programs within the school department.
- This past budget year, May 2011, I came out early in favor the school budget as was proposed by the school department. The idea that they could do more by way of cuts than closing a school and eliminating 40 jobs struck me as absurd. The Forecaster covered it as follows:
“Brunswick school budget axes 40 jobs, 15 teachers
By Emily Guerin
May 05, 2011 8:50 am
BRUNSWICK — The School Board accepted a $33.3 million budget for fiscal 2012 on Wednesday night.
The spending plan eliminates nearly 40 jobs, terminating the contracts of 15 teachers and temporarily closes Jordan Acres Elementary School.
…..
The mood in the nearly empty council chambers was somber as board members expressed their sadness at the programming and staffing cuts.
….
“I believe we have finally hit the point where we have hurt our school system and thus the children of Brunswick,” (Chairwoman Corinne Perreault) said, her voice breaking.
“This budget will not provide them with a better education, period. … If we continue to fail to support and eliminate the services in Brunswick that make it special, Brunswick will no longer be a special place to live.”
Other board members shared Perreault’s feelings about the budget.
….
Michelle Small said the budget cuts would “absolutely” have an impact on the quality of education in town. . . . She pleaded with the Town Council not to force the board to make further cuts.
…..
Only one town councilor, Benet Pols, attended the meeting. He said he would not support any council motion that required additional reductions.
“The cuts they’ve made to this point are so far beyond anything I’ve seen in the past few years,” Pols said. “It’s pretty drastic to shut a school.”
The rest of the Town Council will have a chance to hear from the School Board at the budget workshop on Monday, May 9. The council is scheduled to vote on the budget on May 26. The budget validation referendum is on June 7.
Emily Guerin can be reached at 781-3661 ext. 123 or eguerin@theforecaster.net. Follow her on Twitter: @guerinemily.”
THE FUTURE
The Jordan Acres School has been “mothballed” for “at least” two years. During his May 2011 budget presentation School Superintendent Paul Perzanoski told us he’d need to reopen Jordan Acres if the elementary school aged population grew by 100 students. At that time, the new Harriet Beecher Stowe School was projected to open with 636 students, just 16 more than its designed maximum. Instead it now houses 664 students. Anyone with a child in the school is acquainted with the difficulties arising because of the crowding.
Meanwhile, the average class since has ballooned since last year’s projections were made. Kindergarten classes were expected to average 19 students per class; instead there are 22 per class. Because of space constraints in the buildings—all classrooms are currently in use—simply hiring one more teacher will not work if growth continues.
Financing of new school buildings, as a rule, is largely funded by the state department of education. This is not true for school renovations and repairs; these costs are borne by local municipalities. Thus to renovate and rehabilitate the Jordan Acres School the Brunswick Town Council needs to be prepared for a substantial capital request from the school department.
It’s evident that growth of the school aged population is already occurring; as further redevelopment on the former Naval Air Station occurs, this will only speed up.
SCHOOLS AS AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOL
An experienced local Realtor, Jane Millett, cautioned the council during budget deliberations that a healthy school system is crucial to economic development. Jane points out that the number one factor for prospective homebuyers is the quality of the school system.
“In my 36 years of experience as a REALTOR in the Brunswick area market, the number 1 reason cited for people moving to Brunswick is our reputation for excellent schools. When we are attempting to attract new businesses, this is no time to shortchange our school system’s budget.”