School Board Erupts Over Mayor's Maintenance-Merger Idea

A school budget discussion turned into an all-out brawl about who should be in charge of school maintenance and whether full-day kindergarten is a good idea.

At issue Monday evening for the Board of Education's Finance Subcommittee was whether to hack away at the 2.17 percent -- or $957,852 -- increase in the proposed $45 million '11-'12 budget.

A letter from Mayor April Capone set off the fireworks.

Dated Jan. 27, 2011, she suggested that the town "assume complete responsibility of the Board of Education's Buildings & Grounds Department ... Logistically, the department would fall under the umbrella of the Public Services Department and Assistant Deputy Director of Town Affairs Ralph Mauro."

Both School Superintendent Anthony Serio and the board said they hadn't seen the letter until it landed in front of them Monday night and felt they should have a voice in the matter.

Democratic Board Chairman Nick Palladino championed the idea.

"They've been taking care of our grounds for years and offered to take care of the buildings," he said. "They want us to take care of education, not leaking roofs or open windows." He said it would save the school board $600,000.

Republican board member Ron DeNuzzo asked, "What about food service? Do they want to take over that?"

Republican board member Tom Hennessey said according to state law, schools have to maintain their own buildings.

Palladino shot back, "Why are they maintaining our grounds and ballparks then?"

(The idea to merge maintenance operations crystallized after the discovery late last year that certain schools were not being properly maintained, Capone had then said. The middle school windows were kept open and air-conditioners turned on during the cold months to relieve classrooms of excessive heat, later found to be caused by broken heating units and boilers placed on overrun. Also made public was that snow was leaking from the vents over the high school gym floor.)

Joe Travaglino, whose job as school buildings and grounds director could be at stake should a merger occur, said there were many reasons the mayor's idea was bad.

"The point is you have opposing unions ... you've got seniority issues, you've got Board of Education employee who's got 20 years and you may have a town employee with 19 and a half years," he said. "When they start to getting to mingle, somebody's gonna have to straighten all that out. You're not going to get this done in just a couple of days or a couple of weeks."

(Travaglino later told Patch that according to his contract, which expires June 30, 2011, the only person he answers to is Serio. And school property is his turf. "I am the sole person responsible for buildings and maintenance," he said.)

(Serio told Patch that he'd had no discussions with the mayor about her proposal. "I find it unusual. I think it's business as usual. I'm not thrilled with the idea but I'm going to be open to suggestions," he said. Asked if a merger would eliminate Travaglino's job, Serio said, "It would have to be eliminated. That's a big issue.")

(Reached by phone, Paul Hongo, director of town affairs, said, "This is not a vendetta against Joe Travaglino. This is to [improve] efficiency. The Board of Education is in the business of education.)

Democratic board member Ray Pompano argued that the town and school used to share a finance director, before Tom Thompson was hired last year to take over the town piggy bank. To Hennessey he said, "I find it ironic because you've said we should be in the business of education. The nice thing is, if it doesn't work we can take it back."

"It's not that easy," said Hennessey.

Maintenance sparring then turned to kindergarten sparring.

Palladino said the $600,000 saved from the town maintenance takeover could be used for the creation of an all-day kindergarten program, something the district has discussed for a few years. Cost is estimated at $440,000.

"We all know full-day kindergarten is the way to go," said Palladino.

"Who knows? I don't know," said Hennessey. He said studies on the effectiveness of all-day kindergarten are split 50/50. "We're $400,000 in the hole this year. How are we talking about all-day kindergarten?"

"I'll support nothing that doesn't include all-day kindergarten," said Pompano, referring to the proposed budget before him.

"I will support nothing that includes all-day kindergarten," countered Hennessey. "We've had half-day kindergarten since I was born."

Serio agreed with Hennessey about opinions being mixed. And, Serio said, if the board chooses to go with a flat or zero budget, extending the kindergarten day is not realistic.

Sparring returned to maintenance.

School Business Manager Jason Lathrop was asked to figure out how much of the financial burden would shift from school to town should maintenance be merged. Salaries and benefits would remain on the school side and would ring in at $327,000, he said. The town would inherit $1.28 million for everything else.

"So they would hold the dollars for toilet paper," said Lathrop.

"They're going to work for Ralph Mauro and the town, so let the town assume the salaries," said Ron DeNuzzo.

"I don't like the whole premise behind it," said Hennessey. "Those people down there (in Town Hall) don't understand what's going on down here. This is not a fire station or Town Hall."

"You don't give up control on nothing," said Democratic board member Laura Kluth.

P.S. A  full school board meeting followed, in which board members voted to approve the budget as given to them by Serio with the 2.17 percent increase. It now moves on to the Board of Finance.