Marblehead super presents proposed FY’10 school budget

MARBLEHEAD – Superintendent of Schools Paul Dulac has presented the School Committee with a $27.4 million proposed school budget for Fiscal 2010, an $832,114 or 3.1 percent increase over the $26.7 million Fiscal 2009 budget.Dulac broke the increase down for the public: $722,114 will be raised from existing sources to cover previously-negotiated 1 percent salary increases for school employees, and $110,000 will be raised by special education tuitions from three more out-of-town students.This budget is based on “conservative estimates,” Dulac said, and is in line with town expectations of a 15 percent reduction in state aid and a 10 percent reduction in local receipts – but the superintendent said he is still awaiting word on the governor’s anticipated mid-year state aid cuts.While the document is a “level services” budget Dulac said he has shifted $385,000 within his list of appropriations, funded partially by employee retirements and what he called “some spotty enrollment decreases.”Those reductions will support the hiring of a technician, building maintenance improvements, a central intake person to monitor all children entering Marblehead schools, professional development and teacher leadership teams at the elementary level. Dulac said he will also seek money from the town’s building maintenance fund, which is available to all town departments.Dulac said he was waiting for the announcement of the mid-year cuts and would have more to say next week. However, he told the committee he would like to save any “new money” that comes in for next year, in the event that there are more state aid cuts.School administrators will make their presentations to the committee during meetings in February and March. The committee will discuss the budget with the Finance Committee March 17, hold a public hearing on the finished document April 9 and present it to Town Meeting May 4.