The Haverhill City Council Monday gave its approval to final budget requests for Haverhill Public Schools, Haverhill Police Department and Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School.
School Superintendent Margaret Marotta and Assistant Superintendent Michael J. Pfifferling presented their budget request of $127.9 million, telling councilors the total provides level services for the upcoming year. Admitting this budget would be the most expensive ever, they told the Council they simply faced a perfect storm of cost increases ranging from soaring gas prices to the expiration of a transportation contract after 12 years.
Councilors agreed and voted 8-0 to approve with Council Vice President John A. Michitson abstaining.
The Council also brought up the continuing issue of student space requirements, Councilor Michael McGonagle raised the issue of modular classrooms to help alleviate the problem. Deciding it is the city’s responsibilities as a capital outlay, councilors vote unanimously to look into finding another $3.5 million to make that purchase.
Representing the Police Department, Chief Robert P. Pistone said his budget request is not significantly more than the department asked for last year.
“This year’s budget represents a very modest increase of 2.75% or $407,000 from FY23,” he said.
Pistone told councilors his department does have five vacancies, but he has managed to adjust schedules to where officers work four days on and four days off and that has taken care of the issue for the time being. The chief also said the spending plan accounts for the installation of more cameras to monitor areas such as the rail trail extension
The Council approved the department’s request for just more than $15.2 million by a unanimous 9-0 vote.
Speaking for Whittier Tech, Superintendent Maureen Lynch told the Council while a third of the school’s student population falls into the low-income category, its graduation success rate exceeds the state average.
“Our graduation rate is 98.5% and our drop-out rate is .4—so, far above and below the state average,” she said.
The superintendent said their budget needs, not surprisingly, center on payroll and insurance. She also expressed her concern with the upcoming loss of COVID-19 federal money.
The Council approved the school’s request for a little more than $8.6 million by a vote of 8-0 with Council President Timothy J. Jordan absent.
The final budget meeting is scheduled for this Wednesday night at Haverhill City Hall.