School district running under budget at midyear

The City Council’s Finance Committee held a midyear review of the school district’s $123 million budget this week. At the district’s midyear point of January 31, they were reportedly at 47% expenditure of their overall budget. 

Superintendent Marisa Mendonsa, Mayor Jeanette A. McCarthy and Assistant Superintendent of Finance & Operations Chad Mazza presented their financial update on the school district, which serves approximately 5,700 students. 

The superintendent and Mazza  brought forward a request for a $564,581 appropriation to fund the collective bargaining agreement between the School Department and the Waltham Educators Association immediately before the review.

Outlining some of the district’s foremost financial concerns, Mazza pointed to increasing utilities bills and rising salary costs due to increased medical and family leave for faculty and staff. He noted that the district must pay both employees on leave and their replacements.

Projected costs not necessarily covered by the budget included “extraordinary maintenance,” as Mazza put it, referencing that the boilers in several school facilities were nearing or slightly past their lifespan. He emphasized, however, “anything that deals with safety, anything student facing, we fix immediately” whether or not the resources are properly outlined in the budget. 

Legal fees drew questions from councilors, who asked whether costs decline in years when the district is not engaged in contract negotiations. Mazza did not indicate a clear reduction, suggesting that legal fees are a consistent part of the district’s spending, although they do rise slightly during negotiation years.

In terms of successes, the officials highlighted strong participation in the universal free breakfast and lunch programs in Waltham’s K-12 schools. “All the students here eat and are happy about it,” Mazza said, contrasting current participation with his past experience in the Somerville school district.