Three layoffs result

By Jonathan Cook
Turley Publications Reporter

STURBRIDGE - With three part-time jobs on the line, teachers voted against accepting a furlough.
The unpaid time off would have helped to alleviate a budget deficit of $214,000, which resulted from another cut in state transportation aid for regional schools.
According to Superintendent Daniel Durgin, the teachers voted on Monday and Tuesday last week against taking a proposed one-day furlough that would have saved $60,000.
Durgin said he is disappointed to eliminate the part-time teaching positions in computer technology, remedial reading and special education.
In the latter case, the teacher will be allowed to extend her maternity leave and her spot will not be filled in her absence.
Also, $58,000 will be cut from the new book budget. Speakers for a professional development day will not be hired, saving $12,000.
An administrative furlough will save $3,000. Extra curricular activities, including sending vocal and instrumental musicians to participate in the Quabbin Valley Music Festival, junior varsity cheerleading, and others will be cut to save $17,000.
More than $40,000 in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds for special education will be used instead to help cover the budget gap. An increase in Medicaid revenue of about $20,000 rounds out the strategy to balance the budget forced on the district by the midyear cut in state aid.
Durgin noted the later in the year cuts happen, the more difficult it is to balance the budget, leaving it to teachers and the administration to make painful decisions.
James Cooke, one of the Brookfield representatives to the school committee said he is disappointed with the teachers’ decision. However, he said he could understand their choice.
“In tough economic times, not all teachers can afford to go without a day’s pay,” he said.
Tantasqua teachers’ representative James Boland did not respond to an email sent shortly before the holiday break.
Durgin said that the proposed teacher furlough “would have been a great gesture. It would have been a nice way to show everybody working together.”
At the root of the new cut is a $600 million shortage in the state budget caused by a revenue forecast that incorrectly predicted increased sales tax would bring in more money. Instead, consumer spending was soft, and the money never materialized.
Durgin pointed out that $146,000 had to be cut in July due to a similar state reduction.
Only regional schools felt the budget ax, a situation that has brought about legislation that would peg the regional busing funds to all other school aid under Chapter 70 of Mass. General laws. Currently, regional transportation has a separate budget.
However, that proposal remains in the Commonwealth’s House of Representatives and it does nothing to add money to regional transportation, only to discourage further reductions.
Once a promise by the state to pay all of the transportation expenses of a regional school, the amount provided this year is only 29 percent.
Durgin has pointed out that even as the state is backing away from its commitment to regional schools, it is encouraging municipal schools to regionalize.
But transportation aid is the only cost savings incentive to do so, he said.
“Even if they keep it at 29 percent, we’re still shorted. Nothing in that bill will help us,” Cooke said.