Norwich hears appeals for more money for schools, police force

But City Council also urged to keep impact on taxpayers in mind

— Speakers offered mixed messages Monday night during the City Council’s latest public hearing on the proposed $151 million combined city and school budget for 2024-25.

The council had previously made minimal changes in the city manager’s initial budget proposal.

School board Chairman Mark Kulos pleaded for more funding for the school budget to help address skyrocketing special education costs, and 12-year veteran police officer Joel Ethier said the police budget is woefully inadequate to address training, staffing, equipment and space needs.

But residents Joanne Philbrick and John Blackburn reminded council members that they must take into account what taxpayers can afford in the coming budget year.

The council will adopt a final budget in June.

Adjustments are still pending to the proposed school budget, as a committee of council members, school board members and city officials will meet Thursday to discuss ongoing cuts and restructuring efforts by school administrators.

The initial school budget approved by the Board of Education in March totaled $100 million, but City Manager John Salomone recommended a total school budget of $93.2 million. School officials have made cuts and restructuring that brought the total down to $96 million, with unspecified staffing cuts projected.

In April, the school board approved $4.8 million in staff position cuts separate from the budget, because the district had used federal COVID-19 recovery grants to fund 52 positions, including three school resource police officers. Those grants expire in June.

Kulos said special education costs “are spiraling out of control.” While the state has upped special education reimbursement levels for the highest-cost tuitions and transportation, the state funding is not keeping up.

He said state reimbursement had been promised at 90%, dropped to 70% and could drop as low as 60%.

“I’m asking for the City Council to reach down deep into their hearts and into the budget to try and come up with more money for our schools,” Kulos said. “We are trying to cut the budget as much as possible. But without significant cuts into personnel, I fear the schools are going to come up way short this year.”

Philbrick countered by asking the council to consider what Norwich taxpayers can afford.

“I’m asking you to look into the responsibility given to you when you were elected by all the voters, the taxpayers,” she said.