State Rep. Urges Selectmen To Seek Compensation for Homeless Costs

State Rep. Ted Speliotis backed the Board of Selectmen's request to seek immediate reimbursement for homeless transportation costs at the Jan. 3 meeting.

Last year, Speliotis regarding the unfunded mandate that the town shoulders for homeless children. Danvers paid $145,140 during the 2009-2010 school year in transportation requirement costs.

Speliotis said by not only agreeing that transportation costs for students living in Danvers and being transported out would be considered a local mandate, but also that Danvers would get a reimbursement for educational costs -- whether students were coming to Danvers or staying in their previous public schools -- an option the commonwealth grants.

"We need to be aggressive about letting people know that we now want to get that reimbursement -- it needs to be for this fiscal year, not next," he said.

Speiliotis explained to the board that the only way a reimbursement will happen is through a budget proposal, whether supplemental or through the main budget.

A supplemental budget proposal is done typically a few times each year, he said. He suggested the board draft a letter outlining how much money the compensation means to the town, and "the fact that we've asked in good faith for an opinion, we've received it, and we want it to be upheld."

Selectman Keith Lucy questioned if the budget will automatically become a line in the fiscal budget for 2013. While Speliotis said that it isn't automatic, it becomes a precedent.

"I really appreciate that you invited me to be here tonight because I think it has to be said by every city and town in the commonwealth," he said. 

Spelioitis noted that this is a problem affecting several communities. Chicopee, he said, had 162 homeless families, and after learning about Danvers, Waltham had also raised similar questions about the homeless issue in their town.

"We ought to band together and use the opportunity to solve this issue," Selectman Bill Clark said. "We had the perfect storm of having four of the state's vendors right here in town." 

Speliotis said he is confident that the transportation reimbursement will get funded.