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Referendum Monday Has Town Talking

Posted on: Tuesday, 12 July 2005, 18:00 CDT

* Monday's special election underscores the differences in town over the school budget.

* * *

SEEKONK - Deep division over the budget approved at Town Meeting in May has led to a special election to be held Monday.

The following sums up the viewpoints of the two opposing camps in the budget debate:

The School Department could save money if the teachers paid more of their health-care premiums as do people who work in the private sector year-round. Better yet, the department should fire some of its unnecessary administrators and support staff.

And:

Well, the town could take care of its future better by taking care of its schools, which by the way, are responsible for your impressive house valuation. And it's not like Seekonk is poor; more taxes won't kill you.

The election asks voters in a single referendum to void the financial decisions made at the Town Meeting May 23. The key reason for the forced election: nearly depleting one of two town savings accounts to give the School Department a $15.84 million budget.

The approved school budget is a 4.5 percent increase over last year's $15.15-million school budget. The Board of Selectmen and Finance Committee favored a $15.4 million school budget, a 1.7 percent increase.

A Providence Journal reporter yesterday stopped by a couple dozen houses that displayed "Save Our Schools" or "Vote No July 11, Save Free Cash" lawn signs. A few residents said they are choosing not to vote, one said he wasn't registered and three gave animated responses and then asked not to appear in the paper.

The ballot reads: "Should the town vote to approve the action of the Town Meeting held on May 23, 2005, whereby the annual budget article was approved?"

According to the Town Charter, 2,633 registered voters -- 30 percent of the town's electorate -- must cast ballots for the election to count.

One older woman said she was a bit confused about the election, but saw more "Vote No" signs than "Support Our School" signs. Another said he had two signs on his lawn, at the request of a politician. That farm owner said he isn't sure which box he's going to check on his ballot Monday.

"The way our town is going is, we're depleting our school system, [by forcing the system to eliminate programs necessary for accreditation]," said Newman Avenue resident Mark Merola, who also said property values depend on good school systems. "I'm all for living within our means, but invest in our future, for crying out loud."

Resident Ronald Lamb, of Arcade Avenue, said: "The department is top heavy, per-pupil costs are too high [in comparison for what the system provides] and I think the school budget is more than ample for what they do.

"Historically, they've got everything they've wanted for 20 years, and it's too much on us taxpayers," Lamb said.

The School Department has about 320 employees, roughly 170 of whom are teachers. There are approximately 2,300 students and the latest figures say it costs $6,300 to school each pupil and, if the child has special needs, more.

According to the state Department of Education, Seekonk's average teacher salary last year was $52,253, and teachers pay 10 percent of the cost of their health-care premiums, while the town pays the rest.

The town's two highest paid teachers work at the high school, Phyllis Dupere and Gilbert Woodside, both of whom earned $62,426 this year, according to the School Department.

"I've got a college degree to teach, and I don't make anywhere what they make," Lamb said.

His wife, Marguerite Lamb, said, "They're well compensated and they have time off in the summer. They need to participate in paying more of their benefits like the rest of the world does. The teachers don't want anything to change."

The school administration building houses the superintendent, assistant superintendent, six secretaries, the special education director, her two office staff, the facilities director and his two part-timers.

Schools Supt. Raleigh Buchanan earns $106,595, Assistant Schools Supt. Joe Delude earns $97,101, and five of the six secretaries' salaries range between $35,680 and $33,228. The sixth, who oversees the office staff and is the financial director, is paid $44,917, according to Delude.

"I'm the office manager at Brown University, and I don't make that kind of salary," said Marguerite Lamb, while shaking her head. "I make $34,000."

Facilities director Michael Zannelli and Special Education Director Julie Michaud are paid $53,198 and $81,492, respectively. Michaud's staffers' salaries are $35,425 and $16,825, but the second works only during the school year, Delude said.

There are also a principal and two vice principals at the high school, which has 720 students. The middle school has a principal and a vice principal. And there is a principal at each of the three elementary schools.

The principals' salaries range between $79,159 and $89,713. The vice principals' range is $69,238 to $82,853.

"The facts need to get out there," Delude said yesterday in defense of the department. "People need to know the realities and not people's opinions. There's just so much misinformation out there that it hurts the perception."

Delude said most importantly, Seekonk recently was told it's getting $112,000 more in state school aid. The town can subtract that amount from the $435,000 that was taken from the town reserves for the schools, he said.

Delude also said every position in the school administration building and schools is needed, and several people have "multiple" roles, as laid off, retired and deceased employees have not been replaced in the last three years during severe state aid cuts.

For example, Delude and Buchanan split the duties formerly handled by Kevin Hurley, who died last year. He was the assistant superintendent of curriculum. Delude also listed three and four functions each secretary in the district office serve.

"Every year someone says we're top heavy, and [just reporting the salaries] isn't the whole story," Delude said. "These people are not secretaries, although that's their titles. It's not that clear-cut. You have to look at this for what this department is. We are a $16 million operation. This is the magnitude that these people [against the school budget] aren't stating."

He also said critics are throwing out non-issues as if they were matters school administrators are ignoring or should address. An example he gave was the idea that many teachers who don't live in Seekonk have their children attend town schools for free. The teachers' contract, which expired last year, gives them that right, but only about six students are out-of-town teachers' children.

"The administrators don't get longevity or merit pay," Delude said. "... The principals are on the low end [in comparison to surrounding communities], but not by much. That's the realities."

He continued, "I'm for kids, not astronomical salaries and wasting money. So if someone says 'I'm against you,' then they're against kids. You can't be for kids and not for paying for them."

To contact Alisha Pina, phone (508) 674-8401 or e-mail apina@projo.com.

Source: Providence Journal

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