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NORWALK, Conn. – Superintendent Susan Marks has her work cut out for her with $10 million to cut out of Norwalk's school budget for next year and that is the reason a meeting originally planned for Tuesday night did not happen, according to a Norwalk middle school principal.
"She was not ready, and there was no sense in getting people together," Lynne Moore, principal of West Rocks Middle School, said of the special budget workshop that did not happen.
Moore and Jack Chiaramonte, chairman of the Board of Education, said the meeting was not canceled because it hadn't been posted. Board members announced their intention to have the workshop during a regularly scheduled meeting last week, but it was never posted on the city's website.
The meeting was not convened in an effort to avoid "chaos," Chiaramonte said.
"We're just trying to make sure that when we say something, it's something the board has discussed," he said. "In the past we have given list of things to cut from different people and it all goes out there. What happens is chaos. It's wasted energy for nothing."
As an example, Chiaramonte said he recently got a phone call from a Norwalk High School journalist who asked about a plan to move Briggs High School there. "I said to her, 'Sweetheart, we never even discussed that.' That was something somebody said, but we never discussed it and yet it was out there," he said.
Chiaramonte said he wants to present possible cuts in a "proper, professional manner" and "do a public workshop where everybody can have their say and everybody knows where we're coming from and how we arrived at those numbers. I want it to be completely open, and I want people to see it. But I do not want to send the wrong message by having a list of cuts that maybe one board member is thinking of and maybe nobody else is thinking of it. All that's going to do is create anger or angst."
When the workshop is held, he hopes parents heed his plea to be positive. "Please don't come and tell us, 'Don't cut this' and 'Don't cut that,'" he said. "We don't want to cut anything. We're board members, we're parents as well. ... If you're going to come forward, please give us a solution, maybe something out of the box."
Rumors swirl, and he'd like to dispel them. "We haven't discussed any closing of any schools," he said. "I personally think closing a school down is kind of late (in the year). It would require more research and stuff."
Marks has to come up with more than $10 million in cuts, Moore said, because she must give the board options. "It really is a superintendent's job along with her Cabinet to come up with a list," she said.
By law, the board must have the budget reconciled by June 30. The board is ahead of where it was last year, Chiaramonte said, when cuts were finalized at the last possible moment.
Yet Moore said they won't be announced soon enough. "What's so awful about it is that school ends on the 15th of June and that will be the last day for teachers" Moore said. "Most likely teachers are going to leave here, and other staff, and they are not going to know the status of their position. It's very unfortunate."
Comments (10)
Why doesn't someone tell Dr Marks that being photographed with her hand covering her mouth suggests she doesn't want us to see what she is saying ?
She was listening to someone. I took a lot of photos and I chose this one.
Chiaramonte doesn't seem to understand that chaos is how they have been keeping their books, democracy is public meetings where he, and others, might have to endure criticism. They might even have to answer questions about where all our money went.
He also doesn't sound too familiar with the freedom of information law that basically requires the public's business conducted in public.
He will have to answer a lot of questions when he campaigns for state senator. There are voters that will ask where all that money went.
As entertaining as Chiaramonte's "colourful" language is, isn't it odd that a $4 million dollar "mistake" that occurred in account the City of Norwalk paid into and had access to, now reflects a multi-year deficit that now must be solved in one year?
If this is indeed a reserve fund against future claims, then why isn't a multi-year budgeted correction on the table? Is it because there is no one with a financial background available?
Sheesh.
I can hardly wait till State Senator candidate Chiaramonte calls a reporter "sweetheart".
If he and his buddy moccia are not benefitting from systemic thievery, why haven't they called for an audit to rule it out ? It is very hard to believe a FOUR MILLION DOLLAR "mistake" in this budget and another, bigger one, in next year's.
Old Timer
I agree with you that there needs to be an complete explanation of what happened, clear enough that the layperson can understand. I'm no CPA but I strongly suspect that there also needs to be an audit. The Hour referred to an internal audit that was reviewed by a firm in New Haven, I'd be interested to know more details about that. If finances are this out of control, how do they know that people aren't stealing? Taxpayers deserve a clear answer to that question.
Having said that, isn't it a bit over the line to imply that Moccia and Chiaramonte are personally benefiting from systemic theory? If you have evidence, you should bring it forward, so they can be prosecuted.
I agree with you that Chiaramonte shouldn't have called the student reporter sweetheart, but at the moment that seems to be the least of our problems.
The audit they talked about was very limited and dealt with accounts at Norwalk High from graduating glasses, some from years ago, and mostly inactive. It found some strange expenditures.
I did not accuse either of those people of anything. What I said, was; "If he and his buddy moccia are not benefitting from systemic thievery, why haven't they called for an audit to rule it out ?"
Until somebody counts people and matches them with names on the payroll, there is no real effort to find out what happened. It would not be the first time the city has been a victim of crooked employees. Why not rule that out, first ?
If you were CEO(moccia) or chairman of the board(Chiaramonte) of a private company that suddenly, this close to the end of a budget year, discovered a four million dollar shortfall, wouldn't you want to rule out thievery before borrowing money ?
If I had evidence that anyone was using their position to steal from the City. this would not be the first place I would bring such evidence, regardless of how nicely you asked.
You do underestand that Chiaramonte's excuse for cancelling the meeting sounds like they are trying to get their stories straight, in private, before holding a public meeting. Sounds like he just admitted to an FOI violation
"If he and his buddy moccia are not benefitting from systemic thievery, why haven't they called for an audit to rule it out ?"
Your phrasing of the question expresses your conviction that if Chiaramonte and Moccia have not called for an audit, they are likely benefitting from systemic thievery, and there is not any other possible explanation for why they have not yet called for an audit. I think you know this is over the line. Like I've said many times I agree with you that an audit is necessary, or in lieu of an audit, an explanation that's extremely clear to a layman of exactly how they know that there was no theft. If I were a journalist I would demand an answer to that question. Also what reforms will they carry out so that this never happens again?
It probably bears pointing out that in other comments you have stated that it would be good to bring BOE finances under the control of City administration. That suggestion seems inconsistent with your other comments implying that Moccia is responsible for the $4 million shortfall and that if he has not yet called for an audit, he is personally benefiting from systemic thievery. If you feel that either of those might be true, bringing BOE finances under City control would seem to be the last thing in the world we ought to do.
Regarding canceling the meeting, my reading was that the cuts proposed will all be painful and they don't want to scare people until they have agreed on a list of cuts that have some minimum threshold of support among board members to take the next step and publicly consider them. Doesn't the Common Council routinely work out agenda items and proposals and strategies privately in caucus before meetings? Or are they just in those caucus rooms eating potato chips? In any case, if you feel there is evidence of a FOI violation, you should file a complaint with the appropriate authorities immediately and we can see if you're right.
You make it a habit to tell other people what they really meant to say and to pass judgement on other peoples comments. You have said several times that you agree there should be an audit, but then back off and say a good explanation would be OK.
I have said that their not calling for an audit suggests they know where some of the missing money went and don't want that information discovered. If you think I am the only one who wonders more each day why the two of them have not gotten an independent forensic audit started before school is out, you are either incredibly naive (doubtful), or you are an advocate for one or both of them. You know I am not the first to suggest you sound like a paid advocate.
If you are not an advocate, with a commitment of some kind, and just another concerned taxpayer, maybe you should give more thought to commenting on the issues and less on other people's comments.
There is a difference between suspicion and conviction, as I am sure you are aware.
I have a great deal of confidence in the comptroller's office which seems to be run in an apolitical manner. If they took over managing the books for the board of Ed, they might need more staff, but every penny would be accounted for,regardless of who was mayor or sat on the board of Ed.
"As an example, Chiaramonte said he recently got a phone call from a Norwalk High School journalist who asked about a plan to move Briggs High School there. "I said to her, 'Sweetheart, we never even discussed that.' That was something somebody said, but we never discussed it and yet it was out there," he said. "
Really? He called a student reporter "Sweetheart" ?