Tuesday, February 7, 2012
The School Department met with the Board of Selectmen Monday night.
The Winchester School Department is asking the town to increase its budget by 7.36 percent, which would equate to a $2,628,367 increase, making the 2013 school budget $38,349,537. However, in order to attain that increase, Superintendent William McAlduff admitted that residents would have to support an override. “I believe so strongly in this budget,” McAlduff said. “In order to go forward with this budget, we know we need to have an override.” Under Town Manager Richard Howard’s budget proposal, the school department would get a 5.2 percent increase, which is not enough, according to School Committee chair Chris Linskey. “We need to eventually get money for these things,” Linskey said. “People will not tolerate diminished services. With […
42.453143
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Winchester Town Hall
71 Mount Vernon St, Winchester, MA
/articles/school-department-selectmen-debate-need-for-override
1301615
/locations/6328614
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Town Manager Richard Howard said that an override vote may not be needed this year.
Winchester may not have to face an override vote after all. According to Town Manager Richard Howard, the state recently announced that Chapter 70 funds would increase by $150 million statewide. And due to the town’s growing school enrollment, Winchester will see between $800 and $900K in state funds. “We can begin to alter the assumptions we made early on,” Howard said. One of those assumptions was an override. “I think we can get part of the way there without an override,” Howard said. A year ago, when faced with a budget deficit for Fiscal Year 2012, Winchester residents narrowly voted against a $1.44 million override (2,045-1,810). In December, Acting Town Manager Mary Ellen Lannon said that the town is looking at a $451,000 deficit in…
42.453143
-71.133841
Winchester Town Hall
71 Mount Vernon St, Winchester, MA
/articles/winchester-residents-could-avoid-override-vote
1301615
/locations/6289039
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Selectman Doug Marmon does not approve of the size of the school department's proposed budget.
Two weeks ago, the Winchester school department released its 2013 budget. The school district is asking for a 7.36 percent increase over last year’s budget, which would equate to a $2,628,367 increase, making the 2013 school budget $38,349,537. “We’ve been providing a level services budget,” said Superintendent William McAlduff. “In order to move forward as a district, we need to go above that. We don’t want to be in a position where we’re just maintaining services.” However, some members of the Board of Selectmen did not agree with the department’s budget. “I’m disappointed with the size of the School Committee’s budget,” said Selectman Doug Marmon. “It’s a size I don’t think we’ll be able to fund. It doesn’t seem like we’re on the same …
42.453143
-71.133841
Winchester Town Hall
71 Mount Vernon St, Winchester, MA
/articles/winchester-selectman-disappointed-with-school-budget
1301615
/locations/6237817
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Check out some of the top stories from the past week.
As the holiday season draws to a close, Winchester Police are seeing an increase in the number of home break-ins. Winchester residents who use the Transfer Station can expect to see their rates increase. A Winchester couple had their dog stolen went they went into Stop & Shop. A year ago, when faced with a budget deficit for Fiscal Year 2012, Winchester residents narrowly voted against a $1.44 million override (2,045-1,810). This year, faced with another deficit, residents may need to make another decision on an override. Freight trains will be stopping in Winchester to make deliveries at Tighe Trucking. Last week, Winchester residents showed up at the Board of Selectmen meeting to try and prevent the trains from stopping near their homes…
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Gingerbread Construction Company
562 Washington St, Winchester, MA
/articles/week-in-review-fee-increases-dog-stolen-and-home-break-ins
316799
/locations/6070567
42.452901
-71.13565
Winchester Police Department
30 Mount Vernon St, Winchester, MA
/articles/week-in-review-fee-increases-dog-stolen-and-home-break-ins
317295
/locations/6070568
42.456788
-71.138343
Stop & Shop Supermarket
695 Main St, Winchester, MA
/articles/week-in-review-fee-increases-dog-stolen-and-home-break-ins
317019
/locations/6070569
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Both Acting Town Manager Mary Ellen Lannon and Superintendent William McAlduff said that an override is necessary to maintain adequate services in town.
A year ago, when faced with a budget deficit for Fiscal Year 2012, Winchester residents narrowly voted against a $1.44 million override (2,045-1,810). This year, faced with another deficit, residents may need to make another decision on an override. According to Acting Town Manager, Mary Ellen Lannon, the town is looking at a $451,000 deficit in FY’13. However, the town’s preliminary budget for the schools increases its budget 2 to 2.5 percent. The estimated mandated items for the school district require nearly a four percent increase. “We feel that this funding level would be catastrophic to the school system at a time when they are experiencing enrollment growth, increases in out of district placements and other IEP requirements,” Lannon…
Monday, September 19, 2011
The district saw student enrollment increase 2 percent from last year.
Enrollment continues to increase at the Winchester Schools. The school district saw an increase of nearly 2 percent from the 2010 school year to the start of the 2011 year, with 68 more students attending Winchester schools. Currently, there are 4,264 students enrolled at the Winchester Public Schools, up from the 4,196 that attended last year. Over the last decade, Winchester has seen a steady increase in students. In 2000, there were 1,634 elementary students; this year there are 2,121 – a 23 percent increase. Ten years ago McCall Middle School had 751 students, now there are 1,046 – a 29 percent increase. And at the high school, in 2000, there were 907 students; now enrollment has grown to 1,097 – an 18 percent increase. "Keeping class …
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Winchester High School
80 Skillings Rd, Winchester, MA
/articles/winchester-schools-continue-to-see-enrollment-growth
1239449
/locations/7123249
42.445319
-71.155917
Ambrose Elementary School
27 High St, Winchester, MA
/articles/winchester-schools-continue-to-see-enrollment-growth
317119
/locations/7123250
42.449238
-71.173626
Vinson-Owen School
75 Johnson Rd, Winchester, MA
/articles/winchester-schools-continue-to-see-enrollment-growth
317097
/locations/7123251
42.450245
-71.134408
McCall Middle School
458 Main St, Winchester, MA
/articles/winchester-schools-continue-to-see-enrollment-growth
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/locations/7123252
Monday, April 4, 2011
Selectman chair, Thomas Howley, does not expect the Board of Selectmen to include a general override vote in 2012.
With the failure of last week’s $1.44 million override vote, Winchester will need to decide what to fund and what to cut for next year. But the failure of the override will make the cuts and service reductions difficult, according to Selectmen chair, Thomas Howley. “I’m disappointed with the override vote,” Howley said. “I thought the terms we laid out in the three-year plan was really the way the town should go and would be in the best interest of the town. But I’m still confident we can follow through with the decision the voters made.” As for the list of cuts and service reductions originally laid out by Town Management before the override vote, Howley said that the board would continue with the cuts on the list, unless better options …
42.453143
-71.133841
Winchester Town Hall
71 Mount Vernon St, Winchester, MA
/articles/winchester-to-discuss-potential-override-vote-for-next-year
1301615
/locations/3887842
42.452916
-71.135565
Town of Winchester - Fire Deparment
32 Mount Vernon St, Winchester, MA
/articles/winchester-to-discuss-potential-override-vote-for-next-year
317158
/locations/3887843
42.452901
-71.13565
Winchester Police Department
30 Mount Vernon St, Winchester, MA
/articles/winchester-to-discuss-potential-override-vote-for-next-year
317295
/locations/3887844
42.45688
-71.138865
Town of Winchester Public Works Department
15 Lake St, Winchester, MA
/articles/winchester-to-discuss-potential-override-vote-for-next-year
317151
/locations/3887845
42.461611
-71.149258
Winchester School District
154 Horn Pond Brook Rd, Winchester, MA
/articles/winchester-to-discuss-potential-override-vote-for-next-year
317104
/locations/3887846
Friday, April 1, 2011
With the failed override, the coalition is concerned that they won't have funding to support the program going forward.
If the March 29 general override vote had passed, the town was looking at adding back several items from the 2012 budget that would have otherwise been cut. But the failure of the $1.44 million override vote, it is unlikely Senior Management and the Board of Selectmen will go forward with the funding of some of these programs. The Winchester Coalition for a Safer Community was a late addition to receive money if the override had passed. The coalition has been previously funded through grants, which the program will no longer have next year. The board had agreed that with a successful override, the coalition would receive $31,000 – $23K would go to a part-time Project Manager and $8K would be used for consultants. “We’re going from $100,000…
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-71.134408
McCall Middle School
458 Main St, Winchester, MA
/articles/winchester-coalition-for-a-safer-community-faces-disbandment
317297
/locations/3867734
42.453143
-71.133841
Winchester Town Hall
71 Mount Vernon St, Winchester, MA
/articles/winchester-coalition-for-a-safer-community-faces-disbandment
1301615
/locations/3867735
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
New Board of Selectmen member, Doug Marmon, wants to look at hiring a full-time Town Manager.
The Board of Selectmen will have a new member sitting at its table this week. Doug Marmon, who is currently on the Capital Planning Committee, secured 1,649 votes, defeating incumbent Brian O’Connor (996) and challenger Doug Wilkinson (862). There were also 439 blank ballots in selectmen race. “This is something I’ve been striving for,” Marmon said. “I’m glad to have the opportunity, now I hope I can live up to expectations.” Marmon said that one of his first goals on the board would be to try to encourage the selectmen to hire a new Town Manager. “I certainly will like to push them to hire a full-time Town Manager,” Marmon said. “That's one of the first things I'd like to do.” With the failure of the override vote, Marmon said that …
42.453143
-71.133841
Winchester Town Hall
71 Mount Vernon St, Winchester, MA
/articles/winchester-town-election-results
1301615
/locations/3842506
With the failed $1.44 million override, Winchester faces a $728K budget gap for 2012, which will increase to $1.5 million in 2013 and to $2.5 million by 2014.
It wasn’t the outcome Senior Management, the Board of Selectmen and the School Committee were hoping for. Residents who headed to the polls on Tuesday narrowly voted to defeat the $1.44 million general override, 2,045 to 1,810. For 2012, Winchester is going to use $1.48 million of free cash, but with the failed override, the town will need to cut the budget by $728,000. That budget gap is expected to grow in 2013 to $1.5 million and to $2.5 million by 2014. “It’s disappointing,” said Acting Town Manager Mary Ellen Lannon of the failed override. “We put in a lot of work for this three-year plan. But the important thing is, we gave it to the voters and gave them the right to choose.” The Board of Selectmen, along with Lannon and Assistant …
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-71.135565
Town of Winchester - Fire Deparment
32 Mount Vernon St, Winchester, MA
/articles/winchester-to-go-forward-with-cuts-after-failed-override
317158
/locations/3841115
42.452901
-71.13565
Winchester Police Department
30 Mount Vernon St, Winchester, MA
/articles/winchester-to-go-forward-with-cuts-after-failed-override
317295
/locations/3841116
42.45688
-71.138865
Town of Winchester Public Works Department
15 Lake St, Winchester, MA
/articles/winchester-to-go-forward-with-cuts-after-failed-override
317151
/locations/3841117
42.453143
-71.133841
Winchester Town Hall
71 Mount Vernon St, Winchester, MA
/articles/winchester-to-go-forward-with-cuts-after-failed-override
1301615
/locations/3841118
Jean
8:08 am on Tuesday, February 7, 2012
As part of a MPA program, I recently did an analysis of after-school programming. Some districts are finding this to be a money making opportunity. For example, last year Melrose brought in $800K revenue with a net profit of $200K that went directly back to the schools. If we took our after-school programming out of the Mystic school and allowed kids to use their home schools after hours, the … more ›