After months of taking away zeros, moving decimal points, and answering Board Member Shonta Browdy’s questions, the Hartford Board of Education on March 7th passed the Hartford Schools budget for 2023-24, with Ms. Browdy being the sole dissenting vote. 

And much like the operation of Hartford Public Schools and the Board of Education, the budget is deficit in some areas.  The Board (short Members Schmerling and Escribano) approved a budget for $429 million, which is $2 million short of an expense number of $431 million.

However, by calling this budget gap an “expense task” to be added in later, HPS Chief Financial Officer Phillip Penn accepts this budget as being balanced.  However, the resolution being voted on, the paper document, contain numbers that are not equal. I think this is the “I got you, trust” rule of accounting. Apparently in the world of accounting, close enough is balanced.

While setting the Chairman of the Board, Phillip Rigueur, straight on what questions are appropriate to who and when, Board Member Browdy had multiple concerns with the budget and its process:

• The “community” is concerned over their inability to voice concerns about the budget at a meeting for its approval,

• SGCs (Student Government Councils) feel they are being asked to merely “sign off” on the budget,

• Art and music are not receiving equitable treatment in the budget, this is “disheartening,”

• Schools have empty libraries,

• Is there a specific budget item to show HPS’ “commitment to” and “engagement with” HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities)?

Board Member Johnson echoed Ms. Browdy’s community engagement concern, stating that he too has been receiving calls on the “transparency” of the process.  The Superintendent informed the meeting attendees that the district did hold at least 3 virtual “townhalls” on the budget which were for public consumption, and they were “well attended.”   To a question by Member Walker, information on the number of attendees and their questions would be posted on the HPS townhall web page.  If you spot this information, please email me. 

This meeting was originally scheduled for and listed as a “Workshop” meeting.  At some point, the meeting was relabeled a “Special Meeting.”  There’s a difference, it’s in the Board of Education Bylaws (9321), trust.

As to “Workshop” meetings, the Bylaws state:

“Such sessions shall be for work and study.  The Board of Education shall file with the Town Clerk and Secretary of State, not later than January 31st of each year, the schedule of the workshops of the Board of Education for the calendar year.”

As of Sunday, March 5, 2023, this scheduled meeting was being called a “Workshop.”  Bylaws also state:

         “Members of the Board of Education may act officially only at regular or special meetings.”

So, if the Board wanted to approve the budget at this meeting, rather than before a live audience at the Public Meeting, it had to be relabeled a “Special Meeting.”  Which it was.

The Bylaws state:

“Notice of each special meeting of the Board of Education shall be filed not less than twenty-four hours in advance of the meeting with the Town Clerk and be posted in the Office of the Town Clerk, giving the time and place of the special meeting and the business to be transacted.  No other business shall be considered by the Board at that special meeting.”

This meeting was held on a Tuesday. As of Sunday, March 5, the meeting was being listed as a “Workshop.”  Unless the Board filed the notice of a “Special Meeting” and its agenda with the Town Clerk on Monday, this meeting and the budget vote taken was in violation of the Board’s Bylaws and any action taken during the meeting would have to be considered null and void.

So, it appears that a budget, balanced with a $2 million dollar deficit, at a meeting which may have been illegal, through a vote which may have been illegal, will be presented to the Hartford City Council for certain approval, unaware that it may be fruit from a poisonous tree.