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Date: 3/9/2022
CHICOPEE – Members of the School Committee and the City Council Education Subcommittee gathered on Feb. 28 to discuss the state of the Education Department.
Superintendent Lynn Clark started the meeting by presenting an overview of financial updates within the school district as they approach fiscal year 2023 (FY23). The district’s budget for FY23 is $112 million, which represents a $9 million increase from last year. Clark explained that the increase is supplemented by $8 million from the state and funds from the district.
In terms of grants, the superintendent shared that district is incorporating $51 million in grant funds, including $22 million from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) fund. While most of the grants expire entering the new fiscal year, Clark stressed that the ESSER fund are a part of a three-year plan.
“We have a three-year plan. We have until June of 2024 to spend that,” said Clark, who shared that the school district is working to provide an extensive overview of the yearly spending via their website in the near future.
A central point of discussion between the two committees became the school district’s recent decision to establish their own Maintenance Department.
Previously, the school district and city shared an agreement that allowed the two entities to utilize the same services. The School Committee voted to end the agreement during a Feb. 23 Special School Committee meeting in executive session, with their partnership now set to expire on June 30.
Councilor At-Large James Tillotson said the decision “came out of the blue” to the City Council. “I am kind of concerned that you pulled out of the Maintenance Department…We had no knowledge of that at all…How are we going to manage that,” questioned Tillotson.
In the aftermath of the decision, Tillotson and Councilor At-Large Frank Laflamme expressed concern with how the conjoined maintenance assets between the two entities will be divided. Laflamme also wished the two sides shared more communication during this process.
“I wish we would have been able to get together because we need to be on the same page as why this happened,” said Laflamme. The councilor then discussed ways that the previous agreement may have faltered for the school district. He cited the difficulties caused by the pandemic and Maintenance Director Scott Chapdelaine having to take on more responsibilities than originally intended.
Ward 4 School Committee member Sandra Peret explained that the new agreement is a byproduct of the extensive work required within the school district rather than dissatisfaction with Chapdelaine’s performance.
“It’s the volume and immense responsibility that Mr. Chapdelaine had that brought about the discussion of not continuing in that contract,” said Peret. Tillotson agreed with Peret’s assessment of Chapdelaine, sharing he had “no criticism” for his performance.