While passing a trimmed public schools’ budget for the year beginning July 1, the Haverhill School Committee will delayed further debate over filling an $18,000 clerical position at Pentucket Lake School until final review by the city council.
By a 6 to 1 vote, the Haverhill School committee Thursday passed an “amended,” $73,751,333 2016-2017 school district budget. The amount is a $645,000 or .9 percent, reduction from the draft budget submitted last month. It represents a target 5 percent increase sought by the committee during its budget workshops. However a pre-vote discussion, initiated by Committee President Maura Ryan-Ciardiello, sparked debate on whether or not the committee approved to cut funding, or “zero out” an Education Support Personnel (ESP) clerical position at Pentucket Lake School.
Fiorentini: “Well it was cut by the school committee at the last budget…”
Amirian: “But we never voted on that.”
Fiorentini: “Yes we did.”
Magliochetti: Yes we did, we voted on it…”
Fiorentini: “You voted against it.”
Scully: “The minutes of the meeting reflected it, you did vote.”
Fiorentini: It’s a six to one vote, you voted against it.
Magliocchetti: But we can vote to put it back. We just have to find the money to do it, correct mayor?”
Fiorentini: “Correct.”
Committeeman Scott W. Wood Jr. cast the “no” vote on the new budget after Superintendent James F. Scully explained the clerical position was previously funded but went unfilled and, in a similar situation when he was principal at Consentino Middle School, may have been covered by another school employee.
Scully: “That person was basically borrowed to cover and work in the office and that’s why it was zero funded under Mr. Sullivan.
Wood: “So I guess it’s true that there was nobody in the position and it would be a new position.”
Scully: “No, that’s semantical. Just as I indicated, when I was at the Consentino, I had someone in the office come and help me. I’m not sure what that person got paid for when I was the principal. So last year I don’t recall—with all the employees where that person went—if there was a person working and helping in that office.“
Fiorentini Calls for School Building Improvements
Mayor James J. Fiorentini, committee chairman, said the budget provides “additional investment” and also reflected a call, during public input, for building improvements at Tilton and Consentino schools, among others.
“Additional investment in education here in Haverhill is something to be proud of, and I am proud of it. And I hope the city council does not cut it,” Fiorentini said. “Councilor Michitson and I served on the city council back in an era where everything was funded at a minimum.
And when he and I constantly lobbied the mayors in order to produce extra money over and above net school spending. Today it’s an entirely different city.”
Fiorentini added he would introduce a capital spending plan, including school building projects, at Tuesday’s city council meeting.