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Norwalk: BET Says BOE Operating Budget Needs To Come In Lower


by turfgrrl


April 2nd, 2008 · 13 Comments

The Hour is reporting that the BET set the cap of an increase to 4% for the BOE. Corda thinks that this is a $1.9 million decrease.

“At this point, we are just beginning to examine refinements, and I have to tell you that I am not optimistic that refinements will be where we find all the money,” Corda said.

There are costs tied to the budget that historically rise each year, such as insurance or debt service costs for construction. These costs are not tied to a program but are incidentals for running an operation such as a school district, Corda said.

With these rising costs, the increase asked for by the BOE in the operating budget calculates to 5 percent and “that is true,” Corda said referring to the calculation.

Operative costs will be looked at first in the reconciliation process to see if there can be any reductions.

The budget cuts are in a preliminary process and won’t be finalized until May. The capital budget for schools was also cut by the BET earlier this year by $346,566 for school construction items.

Corda said he wants to focus on reconciliation for the next month.

“I don’t want a debate to emerge about if the BOE says 4 percent and if the ultimate change is going to be 4 percent,” he said. “We’re going to have to figure out how to do it. The application for us is reconciling to a number that is going to have us reduce our operating or our planned expenses by $1.4 million.”

Corda added, “I’m hoping that programatically, we’re not going to make any significant reductions.”

source: The Hour, Corda still needs $1.4M in cuts, April 2,2008

Tags: Education · Norwalk

13 Responses so far ↓ “Norwalk: BET Says BOE Operating Budget Needs To Come In Lower”



  • 1 Anonymous // Apr 2, 2008 at 7:24 am

    1) The executive assistant to the superintendent
    2) Assistant principals at the smallest elementary schools
    3) The exorbitant terms of the superintendent’s contract

  • 2 Tighten the Belt BOE // Apr 2, 2008 at 12:11 pm

    recession. spell it corda. taxpayers cannot afford crazy tax increases when we are in a recession. MORON. Tighten the belt. LOSER

  • 3 anonymous // Apr 2, 2008 at 1:57 pm

    I know, why don’t you take a cut in pay Mr Corda.

  • 4 Anonymous // Apr 2, 2008 at 2:58 pm

    He was making enough money before, with excellent benefits, but he took full advantage of a BOE that doesn’t have guts, and he beat them into submission, getting for himself a significant raise and unbelievable benefits. Why doesn’t he share some of the taxpayers’ pain?

  • 5 Norwalker // Apr 2, 2008 at 4:30 pm

    Any future raise should be tied to the percentage of increase in the students scores.

  • 6 Anonymous // Apr 2, 2008 at 5:27 pm

    Let’s hope that the rumor is true and he will have quit long before he’s due to get another raise.

  • 7 ShakeNbake // Apr 2, 2008 at 7:04 pm

    The BOE should look at every way they can to save money….my daughter recently had a saturday detention..at the detention were 7 students, one teacher and two security guards…a bit overkill would’t you say ?? .I think that Corda and Mecca have been watching too many re runs of ” the Breakfast Club” .

  • 8 Aunt Bertha // Apr 2, 2008 at 8:02 pm

    #1 those were constructive suggestions, add in getting rid of anyone who is not qualified for their HR positions. Combine the lang and Mckiernan job. And dump Stu’s job and get a finance director.

  • 9 Anonymous // Apr 5, 2008 at 12:26 pm

    #1 and #8 please add Bruce Morris too.

  • 10 Anonymous // Apr 13, 2008 at 9:17 am

    Does anyone have any updates on the story about the possibility that the superintendent will resign soon?

  • 11 Axman // Apr 13, 2008 at 1:59 pm

    BET says BOE operating budget needs to come in lower! No problem and with little pain. Here’s the dead wood at Central Office:

    Human Relations Director $90,000

    Public Realations Director $70,000

    Executive Assistant to Corda $75,000

    Purchasing Agent $65,000

    Purchasing Asistant $47,000

    Payroll Clerk $45,000

    Insurance Clerk $48,000

    Two Human Resource Assists $100,000

    Three Fiance Dept Clerks $145,000

    Custodian Supervisor $80,000

    Two Technology Clerks $130,000

    Ciriculumn Secretaries $220,000

    Assist Principals $1,300,000

    Housemaster

  • 12 Anonymous // Apr 13, 2008 at 6:23 pm

    How many asst principals does that cover? I think the pay roll clerk is probably a necessity except I think at least 2 Three Fiance Dept Clerks can go. Insurance clerk? Isn’t that a necessity? 1 Human Resource Assist should go, definately the Human Relations Director since he doesn’t know his role and maybe next time we can get one that protects all the kids and not a chosen few. Executive Assistant to Corda-definately. Why does he need an executive asst at such an exorbitant salary? Purchasing assistant not needed since we have so many asst’s to the asst’s hanging around. Custodian supervisor makes $80,000? We need a supervisor but why such a high salary? Make the cuts BOE! Now we have some cost savings!

  • 13 Anonymous // Apr 13, 2008 at 9:58 pm

    Once upon a time, there was a great city. Let’s call it Norwalk. Then there came some individuals, some would call them carpetbaggers, whose actions resulted in considerable pain. There was Superintendent Rosenstein. There was Superintendent Herbert. There was (and still is) Superintendent Corda. The common element in all of these superintendents is the Norwalk BOE, which hired all of them.

    Oh, yes. In the midst of all of this was Superintendent Sloan, a man many of us respect tremendously, but who didn’t have the support of the Norwalk BOE when he needed it. Many would say that he was treated badly. I don’t disagree.

    When will the Norwalk BOE step up to the plate and do what is in the best interests of the students?

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