Hearing set for Lynn school budget

LYNN – The School Department will hold a public hearing on its $108 million budget Aug. 11, despite the fact City Council approved the city’s fiscal year 2012 budget last month.Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy, who is also chairman of the School Committee, said it is typical that the School Department hold its hearing after City Council approval.”The School Committee can’t craft a budget until City Council passes its budget,” she said.Kennedy said if the School Committee crafted a $108 million budget but City Council budgeted a lesser figure, then the committee would be left having to redo its budget.”We give them a solid number to work with after it’s voted on by City Council and the School Department works off that number,” she said.The city’s Chief Financial Officer, Richard Fortucci, confirmed that the School Committee works off the same bottom line number that City Council voted on in June.The hearing, he said, will focus on how the money is spent.Committee members got their first look at the budget June 16, but put off discussion until they had more time to study it.Committee member Patricia Capano said overall the budget filled the requirements for classroom positions and maintained what needed to be maintained.”As much as I would like to sit here and try and barter dollars,” she said during a recent hearing, “I can’t.”Capano said there were many years when budget discussions between the superintendent and board members became a contentious battle to try and move money around.”But not this year,” she said. “I don’t know if it’s a compliment or a compromise.” The public hearing is scheduled for Aug. 11 at 6 p.m with the regular School Committee meeting to follow.