Melrose Weighs 2 School Budgets, Initial Proposal 'Not Doable'

MELROSE, MA — The School Committee, still without a grasp on funding or what the upcoming school year will look like, is weighing two budgets for FY21 after essentially discarding the superintendent's original proposal from earlier this year.

Budget A, the budget Superintendent Cyndy Taymore proposed before the coronavirus crisis, would have seen 13 positions added and a 5.6 percent spending increase.

"Everything I've seen at local and state level — [Budget] A is just not doable," Mayor Paul Brodeur said at Tuesday night's virtual School Committee meeting. Taymore agreed, calling it "not possible."

The decision is really between two budgets, B and C, with a vote expected May 5.

Budget B is a level-funding budget, meaning it reflects FY20 funding, only seeing contractually obligated raises and a new elementary school position required due to increased enrollment. It would also have a 1 percent increase for contractual services and a 7 percent decrease for supplies and materials. The overall Budget B increase would be 1.5 percent.

Budget C is also a level-funding budget, though Taymore insisted it included "critical" positions. The budget would add 4.6 positions in addition to the elementary school position, and would still see contractually obligated raises. The new positions would include special education, art and music to meeting growing enrollment. There would be an 8.1 percent increase in contractual services for what Taymore said is anticipated special education services and transportation, though state budget uncertainties clouds the city's obligations. There are also "significant cuts to equipment, supplies and technology line items." The overall Budget C increase would be 2.3 percent.

Related

• Melrose Schools In Major Budget Pickle Amid Coronavirus Crisis
• 'Cloud Of Uncertainty' Hangs Over Melrose Public Schools

The enrollment, which continues to steadily rise across the district, has surpassed 4,000 students this school year.

Taymore said that even through this crisis, there can be a reasoned approach to balancing the budget that avoids "devastating" wholesale personnel losses like some districts have proposed.

Even with the new budget proposals, the problem remains the same. As Brodeur put it, outside of the property tax Melrose gets, nothing else can be counted on as a stable source of revenue.

The state is predicting between a $4-$6 billion revenue drop; The city was counting on the Chapter 70 state money for about $9.5 million of a $45 million budget, funding that is now up in the air. Brodeur said he still expects about the same amount of Chapter 70 money as the current school year, which is about $8.5 million. He is also operating under the assumption there is a 12.5 percent decrease in unrestricted local aid.

"We know the state is not going to be able to come through," Brodeur said, emphasizing the reality of the situation.

The School Committee must submit a budget to Brodeur soon, as he must turn in the city's operating budget to the City Council by May 17, per the City Charter.

Also in the School Committee meeting:

• School Committee Chair Ed O'Connell said the discussion on what to do with the Beebe School will be moved "to the back-burner" for the near-term while the city navigates through the current crisis. The building will be available for Melrose Public Schools in the 2021-22 school year.
• Taymore praised everyone involved in moving education from the classroom to a virtual/home setting, but made it clear there is a large gap between the two. She called any thoughts of it being equal to what students would normally get in the classroom a "delusion."
• Taymore said she hopes to have kindergarten placements sent to parent by the end of May.