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Residents press Hillside board on $3.44M preschool carryover, salary spikes and student summer hires
Summary
During public comment, residents questioned a $3,441,000 preschool budget increase, apparent salary increases amid staff reductions, and the district’s decision to hire summer student workers while ESP positions face nonrenewal.
HILLSIDE — Residents at the district’s May special meeting raised sharp questions about preschool funding, salary lines and summer hiring, saying the numbers look inconsistent with announced staff cuts.
Angela Lawler, who identified herself as living at 54 Herden Street, said she was reviewing the budget packet and spotted a $3,441,000 increase for the preschool budget and multiple salary line increases and asked why positions are being cut while some salary lines rose. "If we're cutting staff why are there all these increases on salary lines," Lawler said during public comment.
The district business administrator replied that the preschool budget is a separate fund and that the bulk of the increase is carryover from the previous year: "the majority of that three plus million dollar increase is carryover funds from the previous year." The BA added that preschool funds cannot be used for special education and require a general fund transfer where needed, and that the carryover number is finalized during the audit.
Lawler also asked about an advertisement for summer student workers and summer school while ESP staff face nonrenewal. The BA said student worker positions are hourly, number fewer than 20 and the total budget for them was "under 150,000," spread over roughly five weeks; summer school was reduced from five weeks/five hours per day to four weeks/four hours per day to curb costs.
Another resident, Latasha Wilson, asked whether the district had sought restoration of roughly $1.2–$1.5 million in state aid she described as cut by the governor. The BA explained that state aid is driven by enrollment and that the district lost about $2.3 million in state support over recent years because of declining enrollment and increased out‑of‑district and charter placements.
The public comment period closed and the board moved to discuss the budget and related labor items in executive session.
Speakers quoted are drawn from the transcript of the meeting and include residents and the district business administrator.
