By James Lomuscio
The Westport Board of Education voted 4-3 tonight to ask for full restoration of the $1 million cut from its 2010-2011 budget when it goes before the Board of Finance Wednesday night.
Board of Education Chairman Don O’Day and Schools Superintendent Elliott Landon listen to the budget restoration debate tonight. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com
The request had been urged by School Superintendent Elliott Landon put forth by Donald G. O’Day, school board chairman. But it got some resistance from board members who felt the school system would be better off asking for less considering lean times for taxpayers footing the bill.
“We can’t look at the schools in a vacuum,” said Michael McGovern, school board member who asked to seek only a $750,000 restoration.
While she acknowledged that the school board did a fine job in keeping the proposed budget as lean as possible for next year, Faith Taylor agreed with McGovern, arguing that with the town facing tough economic times, “We can’t stick our heads in the sand.”
Board member Elaine Whitney agreed, “We should make some contribution.”
“Given the circumstances we are all facing, we should make some modest sacrifice,” she said, adding the school board might defer some programs for a year.”
Their comments seemed a stark contrast to O’Day, who, when asking for the full amount, stressed that the school board had labored months to keep costs down to arrive at only a 2.3 percent increase over last year. The proposed budget, O’Day said, proved school system officials to be “good financial stewards” of the town.
“I truly do believe that we need it (full restoration), and that we have worked hard to keep cost down,” O’Day said.
Agreeing with O’Day were James Marpe, vice chairman, and board members Sandy DeFelice and Mark Mathias.
Board of Education members (l-r) Faith Taylor, James Marpe, and Don O’Day listen to tonight’s debate along with Schools Superintendent Elliott Landon. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com
April Book, a parent, said she was distressed that not all board members sought the full $1 million.
“I find it distressing that some of your board members would not work for full restoration,” she said. “Your job is to suggest what our children need and what is essential.”
“Make them (Board of Finance) do the dirty work, not us,” said Ellen Lautenberg, co-president of the Bedford Middle School PTA.
She added that by asking for less, the school board would send a message to the finance board that the proposed budget was not as responsible as the school board had claimed.
The most emotional plea came from Stephen Rubin, a member of the Representative Town Meeting. He said he was upset by Landon’s suggestion that $170,000 of the $1 million cut, if not restored by the finance board nor the full RTM in May, could come from eliminating the school bus monitoring program.
He cited the death of a kindergarten student, Holly Finley, 8, who was killed by a school bus in December 1991 when the drawstring of her jacket caught on a railing as she was getting off at her home on Evergreen Avenue. When the bus drove away, she was pulled beneath it.
“Mandarin Chinese, a copy machines, smart boards, reserve teachers, new computers, and yes, even an extra child in the classroom,” said Rubin, who at one time worked as a school bus monitor. “Nothing is worth anything if we have another Holly story.”
“Please remove any thought whatsoever to even suggest the removal of $170,000 from the budget to discontinue this program,” he added. “…Anything would be better to remove than this line item to recover financial responsibilities.”
