By James Lomuscio
Westport Schools Superintendent Elliott Landon tonight proposed a $100.54 million budget for the 2012-13 school year to the Board of Education, a 2.5 percent increase over the current budget.
Board of Education Chairman Donald O’Day (l) addresses tonight’s meeting as Schools Superintendent Elliot Landon looks on. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com
In making their presentation, Landon and Nancy Harris, assistant superintendent of business, noted that 82 percent of the money is earmarked for contractual salary and benefits obligations.
They said another 8 percent goes for transportation plus the cost of tuition for special education students that have to be placed outside the district.
“Ninety percent of our budget is nondiscriminatory, and there are few places to reduce our budget in a meaningful way because those areas are difficult to touch,” said Landon.
“I have prepared for your review and discussion a proposed budget for the 2012-13 school year that essentially does no more than maintain our educational programs at their current level,” he added.
To do that, Landon said he has taken advantage of enrollment declines at the elementary level by reducing the number of paraprofessionals in special and regular education.
According to Harris, Landon’s proposed budget reduces a staff of 586.22 by 4.2.
Overall enrollment for the Westport school system is 5,770, a number that is expected to drop by 15 next year.
Board member Mark Mathias noted that while Staples High School, designed to hold a population of 1,800 students is expected to grow to 1,861 next year, the elementary school population is projected to drop from 2,563 to 2,484.
In preparing next year’s budget, Landon noted he had to “sacrifice building, grounds and restorative/preventative maintenance projects that are desirable, leaving those projects most essential for health and safety.”
Landon pointed out that the proposed increase is less that the 3.4 percent step increases that will go to teachers.
Asked after the meeting if he felt the board had been receptive to his budget, Landon said it was difficult to tell.
“It’s hard to say because they keep it close to the vest,” he said. “But I think everybody is happy it came in low considering what it could have been.”
Landon and the seven-member school board have scheduled a full-day of discussions on the budget Friday in the McManus Room of the Westport Public Library.
