Saugus board supports new school biz manager

SAUGUS – The School Committee voted unanimously Thursday to support Superintendent Richard Langlois’ choice of Samuel Rippin as the new Business and Finance Manager for the School Department.School Committee Chairman Joseph Malone said he only wondered why Rippin would want the job.”What was it about Mr. Langlois’ charm that got you to leave Winchester where they pass overrides at the drop of a hat to come here to poor Saugus?” he asked.Rippin noted that Winchester doesn’t pass overrides all the time though the School Department had been lucky on a few occasions. He was also seemingly honest when he said, after eight years and with some new leadership in town, it was time for a change.Rippin served as Winchester School Department’s Director of Finance for eight years and prior to that was a budget officer with Tufts University. On top of his experience and degrees – he holds an MBA, is a Certified Public Accountant and is working toward his doctorate in Education – Rippin is also familiar with the town-side of things as well.Langlois said Rippin also served as a councilman in Burlington, where Rippin makes his home.”He’s been on both sides of the fence,” he said.School Committee member Christine Wilson asked Rippin to describe what he perceived his job to be and he said essentially anything with a dollar sign attached to it, along with “other duties as assigned, that’s usually popular as well.”Rippin laid out his budget experience, explained that he plans to issue regular budget updates, would be available for School Committee meetings, had experience with building and rehabbing schools and even had Human Resources experience. When Wilson asked him what he would do if he came in to find the school’s budget had been slashed significantly Rippin didn’t hesitate.He said he would expect by July 1 the committee and School Department leadership would have already dealt with that issue, although he added, he has heard Town Meeting can run long.If that happened he said he would sit down with Langlois and the leadership team and identify the cuts that needed to be made.Wilson also asked Rippin how he envisioned his first month to go.”Talking to a lot of people and I don’t minimize that,” he said. “Another thrust would be understanding all the moving parts of the budget.”Rippin said he knows he has work to do in developing relationships because, “I’ve got a whole new cast of characters starting with my own office.”School Committee member Wendy Reed asked Rippin if he would have a chance to spend any time in the community before he officially came on board July 1. Rippin reminded her that he still had duties in Winchester, which included getting that school through budget season, but said he would try. Langlois was also quick to add that Rippin had done his homework and was very familiar with Saugus.”Maybe more so than some of us,” he said. “He’s studied our community. It isn’t like he’ll walk in on the first day and be blindsided.”Pending contract negotiations Rippin will start July 1.