Mayor’s moves a salve for schools

LYNN – Superintendent Nicholas Kostan proposed drastic budget cuts to the School Committee Wednesday night, but a review of the numbers shows that the situation could have been much worse.According to Kostan’s presentation to the Finance Subcommittee, the $6.43 million shortfall was originally $2 million higher before Mayor Edward J. Clancy Jr. allocated additional funds for the School Department.Due to a variety of increases in cost, most of which were beyond the department’s control, Lynn Public Schools were facing an $8.65 million deficit last week.Of that $8.65 million, $3 million came from an increase in health insurance, $1.1 from charter school reimbursements, $2.6 million in required union raises, $1 million in union step increases, $500,000 in longevity increases, $1.1 million in buy backs, $.65 million in severance, $1.2 million in unemployment, $1 million in special education increases and $.6 million in fuel and utility cost.The department managed to save $500,000 each in retirement savings and non-salary cuts, and Clancy pitched in an additional $1.22 million from the city to cut the deficit, saving additional jobs and programs that were in risk of disappearing in 2009.By giving the department an extra $1.22 million, Clancy continued his history of supporting Lynn Public Schools beyond what is required of the city. In 2008, the mayor gave the School Department $4.8 million more than was required by the state, according to Kostan’s presentation.”There is nothing good about this budget. We are doing the best we can, and it could have been worse,” Kostan said. “You look at what started as a $12 million problem, and $6 million of that you have absolutely no control over, that cost is simply passed on to us and the city. We have taken a real hard run at this, but it is never good when you have to make cuts.”Along with closing the Fallon and Washington Elementary schools, Kostan said the most difficult decision he had to make was to reduce the expensive, yet effective, Career Development Center. Providing a place for high school students who would otherwise be dropouts at one of the city’s three high schools, the CDC has been successful in graduating nearly all of its students, including a 100 percent passing rate on the MCAS exams.Kostan is hoping to reduce the program by losing 23 staff members, and cut enrollment by 45 students as it is combined with the Alternative High School, which will move to Fecteau-Leary from the JB Blood building on Wheeler Street.School Committee members expressed concern in reducing the CDC, noting that it could result in a higher dropout rate and end up costing the department more money in the long run if these students instead go to the Phoenix Charter High School in Revere.Kostan repeatedly stated that he was disappointed in having to cut the program, but said by making drastic reductions there, it saved countless jobs and programs in other areas throughout he department.”It costs about $1.5 million to keep the CDC up and running. The plan is to keep about seven of the 23 staff members and combine that with about 14 staff members from the Alternative High School,” he said. “This is a cut I did not want to have to make. It is very painful. But if we didn’t reduce the CDC we were looking at severe cuts across the board, everywhere.”By closing the two elementary schools, Kostan has conceded that Lynn’s typically small class sizes would grow at every level. The department has set goals for keeping class size reasonable at every level, but Kostan admitted the numbers may be difficult to meet at times, especially come October when students are allowed to transfer to different schools.Kindergarten classes should remain under 20 students, grades one and two under 25, three through five under 30 and middle and high school classes between 25 and 30 students.Kostan said many staff members from Fallon would be relocated to try and reduce class sizes at some schools.