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Superior Court in Derby.
A legal timeline has been established leading up to the June 12 “show cause” hearing in the Ansonia Board of Education’s lawsuit against city government.
At issue — $600,000 the Board of Aldermen voted to withhold from the school district in January, which the school board maintains is against state law. The city has argued the Aldermen viewed the $600,000 as a “loan” that would not be needed if the school district received state aid. The state aid came through, but the two sides have fundamental disagreements over various aspects of state law regarding school funding.
During the June 12 “show cause” hearing, the school district is expected to ask a judge to order city government to cut checks getting the district to the end of the school year.
The June 12 hearing is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. in Superior Court in Derby.
But lawyers for both sides are expected to file documents detailing their arguments prior to the June 12 hearing.
- “Pre-hearing” motions connected to the hearing were due 2 p.m. today (Thursday, June 7).
- Responses and objections to the motions are due by 11 a.m. Friday (June 8).
- A hearing on any motions could be held 2 p.m. Friday (June 8).
- Both the board of education (the plaintiff in the case) and city government (the defendants) have been ordered to file written briefs detailing their opinions regarding the “show cause” hearing by Monday, June 11 at noon.
- Another hearing is scheduled for 2 p.m. Monday. This hearing could be a chance for the two sides and their lawyers to get together and hammer out an agreement prior to the 10:30 a.m. Tuesday “show cause” hearing.
City government today (Thursday, June 7) filed a motion in court demanding more financial information from the school board.
The city has been critical of the school board, saying its budget document doesn’t give the public a “line by line” breakdown of how money is handled.
The city argues it needs the documents to verify whether the school district actually has a hole in its budget.
A copy of the city’s motion is posted below. The article continues after the embedded document.
Motion to produce documents by The Valley Indy on Scribd
Meanwhile, the Aldermen have scheduled public hearings for Monday on two budgets:
1. The current budget that was already approved last year, but altered in January when the Aldermen withdrew $600,000 in school funding; and
2. The proposed budget for next year, which is supposed to go into effect July 1.
Earlier this year, the school district’s lawyer argued that the city violated state law by not holding a public hearing before voting in January to withhold money from the schools.
City government has responded by holding the public hearings after the fact, then re-voting on the measures.
The city’s tax board held a public hearing May 17 on the $600,000 cut and then voted to OK the cut again, despite withering opposition by members of the public.
The Board of Aldermen has now set a public hearing to discuss both budgets Monday (June 11) at 6:30 p.m. in the Ansonia Senior Center, 153 Main St.
The Aldermen could re-approve the current budget and approve next year’s budget after the public hearing.
The tax board has recommended to Aldermen that the school district’s budget for 2018 – 2019 be $31,260,484, with no increase from this year’s budget.
Board of Alderman President Lorie Vaccaro said in a text message Thursday he expected votes to take place.
“We will act on both (budgets),” Vaccaro said.
The agenda also lists an “executive session” for Aldermen to meet behind closed doors regarding the school district’s lawsuit.
The executive session is allowable under the Freedom of Information Act, which permits public agencies to discuss legal strategies secretly.
The Valley Indy asked if the Aldermen could vote Monday to return the $600,000 to the school board’s budget.
“Anything is possible,” Vaccaro said.
The Aldermen are also scheduled to have their regular monthly meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday (June 12) at City Hall.
The Board of Education is scheduled to have its regular monthly meeting Wednesday (June 13) at 6 p.m. at the high school.
