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Councilors raise alarm about Gloucester School Department’s reported budget shortfall
Summary
Councilors flagged a reported school-department deficit (figures discussed around $300,000–$340,000), expressed concern about using capital or reserve funds to cover recurring operating costs and called for clearer corrective-action plans before next fiscal year.
Glocester Town Councilors on May 21 discussed a letter from the Gloucester School Department reporting a multi-hundred-thousand-dollar operating deficit. Council members referenced figures in the range of $300,000–$340,000 and expressed concern about the school using one-time or capital funds to cover operating shortfalls.
Councilors said the school department’s plan — described in correspondence received by the council — did not sufficiently explain corrective action and warned that deploying nonreplenishable funds could worsen next year’s budget problems. "If they take $300,000 instead of making cuts," one councilor said, "those funds won't be replenished next year, and they're going to be in the same place again next year, even worse." Councilors discussed options and urged the school department to present a clear long-term corrective plan.
No formal action or directive was recorded at the meeting beyond requests for the council to continue monitoring the school finances and follow up as needed.
