Selectmen reject School Committee proposal
By Angela Greiner Community Reporter

Hudson - Retired teachers from the Hudson Public Schools flocked to the Feb. 25 Board of Selectmen's meeting to appeal to them to reject the School Committee's recent proposal to reduce the school budget by reducing contributions to the health insurance coverage of retired teachers.

June Murray, president of the Hudson Education Association, spoke on behalf of the teachers asking the selectmen to reject the School Committee's recommendation to amend the 1972 selectmenapproved decision that defines how much of retired teachers' health insurance is covered by the town. To amend that decision would require a public hearing about the decision.

The retired teachers, whose insurance costs are currently subsidized at a level of 85 percent by the town, expressed concerns about hardship if the town does not continue funding their insurance at that level.

Dan Entholt, who sits on the Board of Health, spoke on behalf of his wife, a retired teacher. He said that every year the School Committee struggles to balance the budget and this year is not any diff erent.

"You do not cover the budget gap by taxing the retired," Entholt said.

He explained that many of the retired teachers planned their retirement based on subsidized health coverage that was promised to them by the town.

"This is a moral and ethical issue," Entholt said. "I encourage you to look a bit harder for items to cut."

Selectman Joseph Durant, who voted against scheduling the public hearing to further discuss the School Committee's recommendation, said he understood the position the School Committee was in, but this was not the way to solve it.

"This is like changing the rules when one side has left the field," Durant said.

Selectman Santino Parente voted in favor of the hearing.

The proposed school budget, he said, was still at a 6.5 percent increase, which is $466,000 over the 4.5 percent increase budget that the selectmen agreed they could aff ord.

"Another elected board [School Committee] has made this recommendation," Parente said, "… We should have all the information to make a decision … It would be irresponsible of us not to go forward with the hearing."

Retired football coach and teacher Herb Busch asked the selectmen to table the request, which would then force the School Committee to re-examine the proposed budget.

"Why is there a full-time painter who can not actually paint while classes are in session?" Busch said. "Voting this down will force the School Committee to get their act together and balance the budget."

"I will fight any budget that recommends a full-time plumber and painter over a school administrator," Durant said.

Selectman Carl Leeber appealed to residents to petition legislators in Boston and Washington.

"Don't lose sight of the fact that the commonwealth mandates us to do certain things, but they do not give us any more money to make it happen," Leeber said. "Unfortunately the mandates keep coming."

The selectmen defeated, 3-2, the School Committee's recommendation for a hearing on the subject. Durant, Leeber and Selectman Fred Lucy II voted against the hearing, while Parente and Selectman Antonia Loura voted in favor.

The next Board of Selectmen meeting is scheduled for Monday March 10.