SAUGUS — Tension grew at Thursday night’s School Committee as residents, teachers, and Town Meeting members stood at the podium to ask that the Committee fight for the budget they approved.
The meeting kicked off with the Report of the School Committee Chair, in which Thomas Whittredge addressed recent social media posts and the district’s current state.
“The whole budget process… The air needs to be cleared on this… I’m not looking to argue or embarrass anybody. Sometimes you got to have a good honest perspective of someone who’s been around, someone who’s seen the same narrative year after year,” Whittredge said.
He noted that there’s been a lot of misinformation shared and posts that have attacked the Finance Committee, the Board of Selectmen, and the Town Manager.
Somehow, they’re all against the schools. Nothing could be further from the truth. Over my experience with these people, they’ve been nothing but helpful. It’s the school department that shoots itself in the foot,” he said. “We need to take accountability here.”
Whittredge pointed out the money that has been invested in the town to benefit residents.
“Let’s stop pretending there’s no accountability on the school side… 90% of our budget problems are from us… Not just from the School Committee. From the administration, from the teachers, from everybody,” he said.
Whittredge then pointed out the recent contract negotiations with the teachers and that they’ve received at 30% increase since he started on the Committee in 2019, though teacher and Saugus Educators Association President Kevin Fontanella later rebutted this.
He stated that the district cannot afford further contract increases and that people should not blame the town for its financial situation.
“We made this mess. We got to work our way out of it… We just don’t have the money to spend. We spend way more than we bring in,” he said.
Whittredge said they had to look into ways to support the children and keep the district financially stable long term.
During public comment, people asked that the Committee fight for more money at Town Meeting.
First to speak was resident Sara Petruzelli, who has been posting budget information online so other residents can see the current numbers and funding.
“As a parent, I’m very angry. I’m angry that you would actually take the accusation to say it’s the school department when all of the financial information says otherwise,” Petruzelli said.
She stated that the data show students need more support, as only 35-36% of Saugus students are meeting proficiency standards in reading and math.
“The school budget has increased by only two to three percent annually over the last several years. It’s receiving the smallest percentage increase. The schools are funded at state minimums,” she said.
Resident, parent, teacher, and Town Meeting member Jenna Nuzzo stated that using educators’ contracts as a scapegoat for budget decisions “doesn’t solve the problem. It avoids it.” She noted that the budget from the Town Manager and approved by the Selectmen, which is $1.5 million below what the School Committee voted for, does not maintain what the schools have today.
Student and drama club member Madelynne Leonard highlighted the club’s incredible achievements over the years and how, to continue them, a sustainable budget is necessary.
“Even with this year’s budget, which was roughly $22,000 to my understanding and mostly student-raised through events such as canning, our drama club was worried about production costs, and we often had to keep our productions as barebones as possible in order to conserve our funds,” she said.
Fontanella spoke next, pointing out that the 30% raise mentioned was incorrect and that it had actually been a 16% raise over the last six years.
“This year we made 1%. Last year was a good year; we made 4%. The year before that, we made 3.5%. The year before that (it was) 3%. And then ’21 and ’20, Covid years, 2% and 2%. That gets me to around 16%,” he said.
He also pointed out the number of new Town Meeting members he believes were elected because they support the school budget.
“You guys voted on a budget. Your job is to vote on a school budget. The Selectmen just voted to cut $1.5 million from the budget that you democratically voted for. Your job is to fight for the budget that you voted for and not say ‘Thank God for the $1 million that they’re giving you.’ I expect all of you to go to FinCom and at least fight for the budget that you voted for. Your name is on that,” he said.
Committee member Brian Doherty noted that the Finance Subcommittee now has parents on it for the first time, and that they’d be working on a multi-year plan and meeting with the town manager, Selectmen, and Town Meeting to keep communication open.
“We have to move forward with what we have. We’re going to request our budget, and we’re going to fight for it. No one’s saying we’re not. But we also have to change the way that we do things as a town,” Doherty said.
Town Meeting member Elizabeth Marchese then came to the podium and asked that Whittredge step down from his position as chair following his remarks during the meeting, and the possible influence of the town manager.
“The chair of the School Committee is not appointed by the town manager. He is elected by the people to represent students, families, and the educational interests of the community. That role requires independence, integrity, and the ability to advocate without influence or pressure,” she said.
As the meeting came to an end, Committee member Dennis Gould showed his support for the budget that the Committee originally approved and stated that he did not agree with Whittredge’s report.
Vice Chair Stephanie Mastrocola said she was “completely speechless” and that, while she agrees with some of what Whittredge says, she feels the town is not on the side of the schools.
“I’ve always thought it was a battle. Again, there is a lot to take in tonight… And I’m just being completely transparent in saying that I have no words tonight. I need to leave this meeting and really think about a lot that was said tonight,” she said.
Committee member Shannon McCarthy said nothing can get done amid contention, including on the School Committee, and that they are all working toward the same goal.
“I want the kids to have what they need, but we will not get there with hostile environments,” she said.
