Greenwich RTM urges BET to reopen school operating budget; approves paraprofessional contract after rejection effort fails

The Representative Town Meeting of the Town of Greenwich on Wednesday passed a nonbinding “sense of the meeting” resolution asking the Board of Estimate and Taxation to reopen its vote on the Greenwich Public Schools operating budget for fiscal 2025–26, and separately failed to reject a retroactive labor agreement covering paraprofessionals and school security personnel.

The nonbinding resolution, offered by the education committee and later amended by District 8 and District 6, passed after the RTM added it as a non‑agenda item and approved the amended text. The RTM voted 147 in favor, 37 opposed and 14 abstentions to adopt the education committee’s resolution as amended requesting the BET “reopen the operating budget vote for fiscal year 20 26 to better meet the financial needs of the Greenwich Public Schools.” The non‑agenda item itself was added by a prior vote of 147–58–5.

The vote followed extended committee reports and public comment. Steve Rubin, chair of the RTM education committee, read the resolution and reported that the education committee had voted 11–1–0 to advance the item. Janet McMahon, district delegate to the education committee, and several public commenters — including John Fisher, president of the Greenwich PTA Council, and parents Karen Krause and Beth McGilvary — urged the RTM to press the BET to reopen its deliberations on a $4,048,621 reduction to the schools’ operating budget. “Concern about maintaining the quality of education for the students in town was the most important focus of the group,” Rubin said as he summarized the committee’s work.

Opponents and some committee members urged fiscal restraint and greater operational accountability for the school district. In remarks on the meeting floor, Beth McGilvary said Greenwich should seek “efficiencies” and demand results for increased spending rather than automatically restoring cuts.

Separately, the RTM considered but rejected a motion to overturn a contract between the Board of Education and Connecticut Public Service Employees Local 136 (Laborers’ International Union) covering professional assistants, paraprofessionals and security personnel for the period July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2027. Jonathan Budd, chief human resources officer for Greenwich Public Schools, presented the resolution to the RTM and confirmed the contract is retroactive. Committees that reviewed the agreement largely recommended against rejecting it: the labor contracts committee reported a 0–4–0 tally (opposed to rejection), the finance and education committees reported votes against rejection, and the Budget Overview Committee reported support for the negotiated terms. The final RTM tally on the motion to reject the contract was 10 in favor of rejection, 197 opposed and 1 abstention, meaning the motion to reject failed and the contract stands as negotiated.

The RTM action on the budget is symbolic; the adopted resolution is nonbinding and cannot compel the BET to reopen its vote. Moderator Alexis Volgaris repeatedly explained the procedural limits of a “sense of the meeting” resolution during the meeting. If the BET chooses to reconsider the operating budget, that decision will be at the BET’s discretion.

Votes at a glance

- Addition of non‑agenda item (to consider the education committee’s sense of the meeting): 147 yes, 58 no, 5 abstain — carried (added to agenda). - Adoption of education committee’s sense of the meeting (as amended by District 8 and District 6): 147 yes, 37 no, 14 abstain — carried (nonbinding resolution urging BET to reopen school operating budget). - Motion to reject agreement between Board of Education and CT Public Service Employees Local 136 (covering paraprofessionals, professional assistants and security personnel, July 1, 2024–June 30, 2027): 10 yes (to reject), 197 no, 1 abstain — motion to reject failed; contract stands.

Why this matters

The RTM’s resolution spotlights a partisan and fiscal dispute between the RTM delegates and the town’s Board of Estimate and Taxation over a multimillion‑dollar reduction in school operating funding. Though nonbinding, the RTM’s expression formalizes the town assembly’s concern and may increase political pressure on the BET. The contract outcome affects staffing and pay for paraprofessionals and related staff whose roles are cited as mandated or integral to services for students, including special education supports.

What’s next

The BET can choose whether to reopen its vote. The district and town officials will continue to negotiate budget details and explain fiscal options to the RTM and public as the fiscal year planning continues.