Unfilled jobs first sign of school budget cutting

REVERE – Three school jobs vacated by retirements will not be filled as part of the initial steps school officials are taking to prepare for state spending cuts.Superintendent Paul Dakin said the secretary, librarian and electrician vacancies and other savings totaling $163,000 represent a first round of belt-tightening.Leaving the secretary and electrician?s job vacant provides $47,000 in savings along with the elimination of refreshments at school meetings.A librarian retirement at Rumney Marsh Academy provides another $46,500 in savings and an employee currently in training will cover a vacancy left by a special needs retirement.Dakin identified another $73,000 in savings as well as “green” savings from reduced electrical use and other energy use reductions.?These internal cuts just mean we can get through this year. My goal is to not only make sure we?re managing this year well but that we also tuck money away for what we expect to be a terrible next year,” Dakin said.Prior to the start of the academic year, Dakin said the schools need another $6.5 million to meet expenses and avoid layoffs and school closings. Like superintendents across the state, he now faces the prospect that state spending cuts announced last week by Gov. Deval Patrick will lead to reduced state assistance to schools.The likelihood of other cuts prompted City Council members to schedule a public discussion on the city finances Saturday, Nov. 1 at 9 a.m. in the City Council Chamber.City Council President George Colella proposed the summit and Ward 4 Councilor George Rotondo wants city budget officials to outline level funded city spending estimates and “mid-year cuts of 5 percent from the state and its affect on the city budget.”The city received a slight cash infusion last week when Wonderland Greyhound Park paid $20,000 to reduce its $625,000 overdue tax debt.Dakin?s decision to not fill job vacancies created by retirements has already been adopted citywide by Mayor Thomas Ambrosino who has said that police and fire hiring goals will be tempered by state spending cutbacks.