MARBLEHEAD, MA — With just over two weeks before Marblehead residents head to the polls to vote on a $2.5 million general tax override that would add $248 to the bill for the median single-family homeowner in town, Superintendent John Buckey sought to reaffirm the ramifications of a “no” vote with precise positions and staff that will be eliminated.
Speaking to the School Committee Thursday night, Buckey said the list of cuts had gone through the painful process of review from school administrators and the School Committee and would be implemented in full if residents did not approve the override that would restore a “level-services budget” for 2024.
“This is not up for negotiation,” Buckey said of the consequences of having to adhere to the “reduced-services budget” approved at the annual town meeting. “This is the list of cuts that have been identified, that the School Committee reviewed, and to suggest that we — if god forbid, the override does not pass — we would come back to this list and say: ‘No, actually we’re not going to make that cut,’ I think undermines me, undermines me, undermines the school principals.
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“I just want to be crystal clear that these cuts will be made should the override not pass.”
The list of 33 equivalent positions being eliminated in the reduced-services budget: district clerk, Glover secretary, payroll coordinator, Village custodian, district human resources director through a reorganization, behavioral specialist, (5) lunch paraprofessionals, a preschool paraprofessional, two high school paraprofessionals, a permanent substitute, a middle school librarian, a technology specialist, a Glover school tutor, evaluation lead teacher, high school math teacher, (2) high school science teachers, high school English teacher, middle school Latin teacher, Village music teacher, Village physical education teacher, (2) Village school grade level teachers, Brown school special education teacher, Glover speech teacher, Brown school tutor and all high school freshman-level athletic teams and their coaches.
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Because of the uncertainty of the override result, those in the positions currently filled have been notified of the potential cuts and Buckey said some of them have sought employment elsewhere.
Those exact positions will be the ones restored if the override passes and the “level-services budget” is implemented.
“I don’t want to come across as cavalier because these are gut-wrenching cuts,” Buckey said. “And it was very difficult for the principals and directors to arrive at these decisions so that’s why I am being so adamant that these will be the cuts.
“Because of the level of depth and the difficulty, and because people have already left the district because their position is listed on this, and to suggest that we would go back and rescind that I think is patently unfair.”
Buckey seemingly sought to avoid the temptation to go back if the override fails and try to reallocate funds from other resources to restore some of the eliminated programs and positions, while hammering home the dire consequences for the district should the override not pass.
The override is designed to bridge the structural budget gap between increased costs and the money available for one year while the town determines a long-term strategy to keep revenues in line with expenses within tax increases allowed in Proposition 2 1/2 as well as reduce the reliance on “free cash.”
The override petition won more than 70 percent approval at the May 2 annual town meeting but may face a tougher road at the ballot box.
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The School Department had requested a $3 million supplemental budget general override last year that also won overwhelming support at the annual town meeting, but failed the townwide vote by a 2-to-1 margin.
Marblehead voters last passed a Proposition 2 1/2 general override in 2005.
(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at [email protected]. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)
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