Budget is Tight?
October 6, 2003
Bridgewater
Raynham
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Joseph Gillis Jr.
You can do something!
While the B-R School District has been crying poverty, the actions of their own administration could be costing the students hundreds of thousands of dollars. Problems in teacher scheduling has led to at least two settled grievances with the Teachers' Union. So, when you hear that there is no money for Middle School extra-curricula activities because they just do not have the $90k, ask the School Comm. and Superintendent about the settled grievances. That money would have saved Middle School activities, and then some.
The first grievance was settled at a cost to BR of about $35k, while the second was in the vicinty of $400k. Both issues related to staffing at Williams Middle School.
Tim Fitzgibbons (on cable What's Up 10/20) referred to the settlement costs coming out of E&D (Excess & Deficiency) Account. This is sometimes known as a Stabilization Account. So technically, the money did not come out of the budget. However, had this money not been used to settle these issues, then it is possible that the money could have been used to minimize the many new added fees implemented by the School Committee.
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