School Employees Get Layoff Notices Amid Budget Uncertainty

The Lynnfield School District is bracing for worst-case budget scenarios this spring, having recently sent out notices of non-renewal or layoff to 46 employees.

At Tuesday night's school committee meeting, Superintendent Robert Hassett reported that 39 of these positions were non-professional and seven were professional. He also noted that this figure is higher than the number of expected layoffs under even a worst-case budget scenario.

If programs are cut, it was also noted on several occasions that students will essentially be back to the days of sitting in study halls at some points in their week instead of engaging in more active forms of learning.

While it still remains to be seen if town voters will approve a $555,000 override vote on June 6, the district had to send out the notices to comply with regulations requiring employees to be informed of their status by May 15.

Difficult Decisions Looming

Hassett ran down a lengthy list of the current school resources that have been eyed for possible budget cuts – everything from cutting two of the district's four media specialists to cutting reading tutors and grade 6 and 7 foreign languages. Even the LHS hockey team has been mentioned in the context of budget cuts, given its cost.

For the schools themselves, the two elementary schools would stand to lose 4.1 full time equivalent positions, the middle school would lose 6.53 and the high school, 3. Nine other full time equivalent positions would be cut from the district as well, with a higher number of layoff notices being sent out to allow more flexibility in the coming process.

"Lose-Lose Decisions"

"I feel like I'm dismantling our grade school system and I don't want to see us go in that direction," said Hassett. He later warned that there are an "awful lot of lose-lose decisions here."

Later, committee chair Dorothy Presser warned that without the override and union health insurance concessions, "we're looking at a very different school system."

"It will be years before we're able to build them back up," she added, referring to the many services that could end up being cut in the coming weeks.

Several members praised the town's unions for their willingness to negotiate these concessions, with James Fagan also warning that rejection of the Prop 2 1/2 override could harm town property values if the school district is hit hard by budget cuts. He added that the unions would be unlikely to accept health care concessions if they end up still standing to undergo layoffs.

At the meeting, it was also noted that $555,000 override would amount to $93 per Lynnfield household.

Vote On Union Concessions Next Week?

A major factor in this year's budget shortfall was a significant increase in the cost of health coverage for town workers. Hassett said that last year, the town's insurance provider had collected $4.6 million and paid out $4.7 million, triggering this year's increase. Since then, town officials have been negotiating with town employee unions on health insurance concessions aimed at producing some $750,000 in savings.

The superintendent also suggested that a tentative agreement could already be in place for health insurance concessions, and that it could be voted on as early as next week.