McDonald board OKs plan to cut deficit

McDONALD — The board of education has approved a recovery plan to be presented this afternoon to the district’s financial-planning commission to include $518,497 in staffing and program cuts to reduce a $2 million deficit.

A proposed five-year, 6-mill emergency levy to generate $318,367 annually — $1.591 million over a five-year period — also is included in the plan.

An anticipated potential savings of $170,568 from upcoming negotiations with both teaching and nonteaching employees this summer is included in the total.

The board stressed to about 50 residents Monday that the commission must approve its plan and noted that plans to save the district money will be fluid as it works to eliminate the $2 million debt discovered in October 2009, when the district was declared in state fiscal emergency.

Parents at the meeting were upset that art and band programs would be cut under the proposals.

Schools Superintendent Michael Wasser told residents: “The commission is looking to us to make cuts — so we can go on.” He noted that though all might not agree on cuts to art and band, “we have to worry about core subjects.”

Michael Rea of Girard, McDonald Band Boosters president, warned the district might see a “mass exodus” of students, particularly open-enrollment students.

Wasser noted the district has 177 open-enrollment students. It has sent letters asking if students plan to return and will have sign-up for early enrollment starting early this year to help firm up enrollment figures and class choices.

Wasser noted that band at the high school will stay at the same level, with four periods a day, but will be cut from the elementary school schedule.

Other plans to be presented to the commission, he said, include eliminating both the full-time high school and part-time elementary librarians; reducing custodial staff to five, eliminating 1 1/2 posts; bus transportation daily cut from three runs to one; eliminating speech, a psychologist and a special-education director from the Trumbull Educational Services Center and contracting with Weathersfield schools for a part-time school psychologist; one high school math and business teacher; half-time high school physical-education teacher; high school band director cut from full time to part time; and eliminating early-retirement incentives after the 2009-10 school year.

The cuts are to take effect July 1, or next school year for teachers, if passed by the commission.

Board president Jeff Hughes said the board will have a forum or send home a letter with details of cuts to be made so that parents have the information.