Schools

Schools to "Soft Freeze" Budget

Budget running tight so educators taking steps now to limit spending.

In the next few weeks administrators will implement a "soft freeze" on discretionary spending to ensure that the budget year ends in the black.

"At this point, we are very tight on budget and we will be instituting a freeze," Business Manager Michael Belden told the Board of Education's Finance Committee Wednesday. "Nothing at this point is alarming but we are realizing it is very, very tight."

"Anyting we can pull together will be helpful," Supt. of Schools Fran Rabinowitz said. 

Find out what's happening in Hamdenwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Belden said he is recommending freezing all non-essential items beginning next month. While it's not an emergency now, there is a disturbing upward trend in special education costs, he said, combined with an uncertainty with what state reimbursements the district will receive.

That, along with custodial overtime costs, are the main concerns, Belden said. 

Find out what's happening in Hamdenwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"We are going to be instituting stricter guidelines of what has to happen on a daily basis," he said of the custodian's responsibilities, "and we will see savings there as well.

Board member Myron Hull said he was concerned how taking such action would look to the district and the public.

"My concern is starting this now -- it's way earlier then we usually do and we are not able to pinpoint a dollar amount" that the district is down.

"It's a bad perception move to the teaching and parent and student communities," he said. "Maybe in the next month or two or when we pinpoint where we have risks."

"When I think freeze, I think soft freeze," Rabinowitz said. "We will look very carefully at each invoice and call and ask if it is an absolute priority for this year and if there are any other funds that can be used to purchase it.

"If it is an absolute priority, we will fund it," she said. "If not, it might not get funded."

Things that will possibly be on the chopping block include conferences, she said.

"I'm being very conservative," she said.

If the district were to implement a "hard freeze," it would mean that only emergency items could be purchased, board chairman Michael D'Agostino said.

"We are not talking about that," he said.

"I don't think implementing a freeze is necessarily a bad thing," said board secretary John Keegan. " Folks want to hear that we are scrutinizing expenses and will probably appreciate it if we can build in a buffer for next year."


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here