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School committee tables Proposition 2½ resolution; members plan special meeting before March 31 vote
Summary
The committee debated a member-sponsored resolution urging support for the March 31 Proposition 2½ override. After discussion about materials distribution and timing, a motion to table the resolution passed (roll-call result recorded in the transcript). The chair said he intends to call a special meeting to consider the resolution before the election.
MALDEN — A resolution urging voter support for the March 31 Proposition 2½ override was introduced at the School Committee’s March 2 meeting and then tabled so members could have more time to review the text.
Councilor/Committee member Mr. Peter Piaza and Mr. Keith Bernard introduced the resolution, which Piaza said would help close a projected budget gap and avoid layoffs. Piaza told colleagues the state’s Chapter 70 local contribution calculation is increasing the district’s required local share and that preliminary state figures indicated Malden might need to increase local school funding by about $4 million while state aid would rise by roughly $500,000. “Our schools are not immune to budget cuts,” Piaza said, urging committee engagement ahead of the March 31 special election.
Several members said they had not received the resolution early enough to review it in advance (one member said the text arrived at 3 p.m. that day), and Miss Spaphora moved to table the matter to allow full review. The motion to table was seconded and carried on a roll call recorded in the meeting transcript (vote recorded as "passes 53"). The chair said he intends to call a special meeting within the next week or so to act on the resolution ahead of the March 31 vote.
No formal endorsement by the committee was recorded at the meeting. Members said they would use the special meeting to consider possible amendments and to ensure compliance with open-meeting requirements and proper distribution of materials before any vote.
