Herbst Questions Ed Board Decision

STATEMENT FROM FIRST SELECTMAN TIMOTHY M. HERBST

UPDATE REGARDING FRESHMAN ATHLETICS AND THE ACADEMICALLY GIFTED PROGRAM

MAY 11, 2011

I wanted to provide you with an update concerning freshman sports and the academically gifted program.

As you know, earlier this week I authorized the Board of Education (BOE) to have unrestricted access to $1,074,000 of money that had been earmarked for BOE health insurance. Of that amount, $230,000 has been identified as savings that could be used in other areas of the budget. In providing this access, it was my hope that the Board of Education would reinstate freshman sports and Trumbull’s Academically Gifted Program (TAG).

I am extremely disappointed that last night, the Board of Education voted against reinstating freshman sports and TAG.  The vote was 5-2. 

I have been in contact with area mayors and first selectmen to discuss budgetary appropriations to local boards of education in their communities. It should be noted that my recommended increase to the BOE budget this year of 2.375 percent was far more generous than surrounding communities in the region. Many municipalities are doing more with less. Further, I question how out of an $86,967,782 budget, we could not identify $95,000 to retain freshman sports and $177,000 to retain the TAG program. 

I am writing to you today to personally enlist your help to get these programs reinstated.  I am asking each of you to personally  email each of the five BOE members who voted against reinstating these programs to ask them to reconsider their decision.

 Edward Lovely, Chairman: TEDl31417@aol.com                        

2.      Thomas Kelly:                        tommyk8@aol.com

3.      Lisa Labella:                             lmlabella78@aol.com                                     

4.      Michael Ward:                        yankeeward@netzero.com

5.      Stephen Wright:                     spw@haflaw.com

Finally, I will conclude by pointing out that in yesterday’s Connecticut Post, the school superintendent was quoted as saying that there was “maybe a couple of hundred thousand dollars of surplus funds” from the present fiscal year, which will end on June 30, 2011. Two questions that you should raise when contacting these Board of Education members are:

1.      If there is a surplus expected for the current year, why isn’t there enough money to fund these programs for next year when the budget has increased by $2,017,567?

2.      If we will realize a surplus this year, will these BOE members who voted against reinstating these programs for next year, commit to utilizing this money to reinstate these programs?

If you agree with me that these programs are of vital importance to the school district and the children of Trumbull, then I am asking you to please forward this email to your friends and neighbors who agree, and I am asking each of you to please contact these five BOE members and convince them to reconsider their decision.

Sincerely,

Timothy M. Herbst

First Selectman