School Deficits Projected in Oxford, Ansonia

FILETwo Valley school districts are facing budget deficits this year — in part because of snow removal from school roofs this past winter.

Oxford is projecting a $256,000 deficit, while Ansonia is looking at about a $142,000 shortfall.

Those figures change each day, as the districts’ finance departments get updated monthly figures on everything from substitute teachers fees to special education transportation costs.

Representatives from each school district said they hoped to close the shortfalls before the end of the 2010 – 2011 fiscal year on June 30.

We are waiting for the results of our cost-cutting methods. I can only say I expect to not have a deficit at the end of the school year,” Oxford Board of Education Chairwoman Rose McKinnon said. We do not want a deficit.”

It’s steadily going down,” said James Gaskins, the school business administrator for Ansonia Schools. And we’re hoping that trend is going to continue. We look a lot better than we did (three weeks ago).”

FILEOxford

McKinnon said the deficit was prompted by the snow removal and heating fuel costs from the winter.

Other factors included what McKinnon called miscalculations” by the previous school administration on salaries and benefits for school staff.

Judith Palmer, the former school superintendent could not be reached for comment on the deficit claims.

Part of Oxford’s budget shortfall will be covered by insurance payments to remove snow from its roofs, the district recently learned.

The district’s insurance company has agreed to pay half the cost of the $150,000 emergency snow removal, according to schools Business Manager Rosemary Hanson.

That still leaves about a $181,000 deficit, which the district is trying to whittle down by saving money in other areas.

Ansonia

In Ansonia, the Board of Education discussed a possible $142,000 deficit at its meeting on April 6.

Article continues after document.

Ansonia Board of Education 4/6 Meeting Minutes

Three weeks later, Gaskins is still calculating district costs, and doesn’t yet have an updated figure.

But Gaskins said it looks like the deficit will be smaller than earlier projected. Gaskins plans to update the Board of Education on the most recent numbers at its next meeting on Wednesday, May 4.

Gaskins attributed to deficit to two major costs: The $150,000 for snow removal on school roofs, and unexpected cost overruns in special education tuition and transportation.

Spending Freeze

Both districts have instituted a spending freeze” that halts all non-essential spending.

Gaskins said any purchase in Ansonia must be approved by himself and Superintendent Carol Merlone.

If a principal needs a carton of copy paper, they need to get approval,” Gaskins said. For Band-Aids in the nurses office, I have to approve those. It doesn’t mean purchasing completely stops. That’s just unrealistic.”

But it’s strictly on an as-needed basis” Gaskins said.

In Oxford, in addition to the purchasing freeze, Superintendent Edward Malvey is personally managing the substitute teachers account, to save costs in that area, officials said.

That is important because an auditor’s report had disclosed repetitive cost over-runs in the substitute teachers account, officials said.

Two Years In A Row

Oxford also had a $453,000 budget shortfall in 2009-10, the district announced in January.

The deficit was covered by the general fund. Members of the school board attributed it to the mismanagement of previous school district administrators.

Palmer, the former superintendent, said in an interview in February, that the claims were off base — that any deficit in the school budget is not due to mismanagement.”

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