Two Agawam city councilors opposed a $250,000 supplemental School Department budget, saying it will just add to the base for coming years' budgets.
AGAWAM – The City Council Monday approved a $250,000 supplemental School Department budget despite objections by two councilors, who argued it will just add to the base educational budget for years to come.
That action brings the city budget for fiscal 2012, which started July 1, to about $73.6 million and the School Department budget to about $34.4 million.
The council approved the supplemental budget 7-2 with city councilors Robert E. Rossi and John F. Walsh casting the nay votes.
In late June, the City Council approved a fiscal 2012 budget just in time to meet its July 1 deadline with the understanding that the School Department would come up with a supplemental budget of $250,000 to restore some of the 31.8 full-time equivalent positions slated for elimination. Councilors agreed with Mayor Richard A. Cohen that the $250,000 could come out of the reserve account.
However, Monday, Rossi and Walsh seemingly backtracked.
Rossi said he had a problem with the School Department still charging user fees to students for taking part in activities and hiring a secretary to keep track of them.
“It wasn’t exactly what I thought they would do with the money,” Rossi said.
Walsh argued that adding $250,000 to the School Department budget would add up to $2.5 million over the next 10 years.
City Councilor Jill S. Messick said councilors agreed on their strategy in June and expressed anger at Rossi and Walsh for seemingly reversing themselves.
“To say now we did not do it, that is bull....,” Messick said.
“I don’t think we have any choice but to go for it,” City Councilor Robert A. Magovern said of the supplemental spending.
City Councilor Dennis J. Perry argued in favor of adopting the supplemental budget on the grounds that it would reduce class sizes in first grade and kindergarten from the mid twenties to the teens.
The supplemental budget restored a total of 11 positions to the School Department. They are three teachers, five teachers aides, two secretaries and the school resource officer.
Both Cohen and interim School Superintendent William P. Sapelli argued strongly in favor of adopting the supplemental budget.
The mayor said he agrees with the council that officials should put schoolchildren first and that on Aug. 16 the School Committee’s Policy subcommittee will take a look at whether use fees should continue to be charged students.