Marblehead schools prepare for cuts

MARBLEHEAD – School Business Manager Brian Salzer is meeting with Marblehead school principals and department heads to talk about possible cuts in their departments – and he told the School Committee the limit for those cuts is far lower than previously described.School Committee members have previously discussed a budget exercise in which Superintendent of Schools Paul Dulac asked administrators to provide him with those possible cuts, which will be used only if necessary by Dulac?s successor.Reports of those talks generated rumors of a 5 percent across-the-board cut in next year?s budget, which Dulac hastily denied. He delegated talks of budgets cuts to Salzer several weeks ago.Salzer told the committee that the actual amount he foresees cutting will be about 1.25 percent to 2.5 percent.Salzer said administrators have been reluctant to suggest cuts in their departments so far.?It?s dangerous for an administrator to recommend cutting a program,” he said. “It villainizes that administrator. We?re looking for ways to make the system more efficient.”One suggestion that has come out of the talks so far focuses on class size. Salzer said the increase in class size from the current 20-22 has not been specified, but teacher?s salaries represent the biggest cost in the budget.Committee members followed up Salzer?s comments with suggestions for programs they could consider cutting if revenue decreased.Committee member Jonathan Lederman noted that Dulac has so far been unable to hire a math-science curriculum coordinator, a $75,000 position, and he proposed spending that money instead to complete the Parent Portal parent-school communication program.Chairman EuRim Chun and others reminded Lederman that decision should be made by the superintendent and not the school committee.But Lederman?s motion to postpone hiring the new coordinator until July 1, when the next superintendent has taken over, was approved 4-1, with Chun, Dick Nohelty and Kathy Leonardson supporting Lederman. Patricia Blackmer, who said she wanted to hear from Dulac on the idea, voted against the motion.