MELROSE, MA—Melrose Mayor Robert Dolan presented his fiscal year 2017 budget proposal during the joint meeting of the Board of Alderman and School Committee Monday night.
During the meeting, Dolan presented a total operating budget of $75,328,574.79 as well as discussed some of the issues facing town. Dolan began by addressing Melrose's growing kindergarten and first grade population, stating that the reopening of the Beebe School or an addition to a current school is not a viable option to address the problem.
"The reopening of the Beebe or an addition to a current elementary school would not only not solve the problem, it would force the redistricting of the entire city, creating a domino effect of movement from school to school and affecting hundreds of families with involuntary transfers," Dolan stated."That massive citywide disruption should not be considered."
Dolan also called upon the School Committee and the Board of Aldermen to work together with Superintendent Cyndy Taymore to form a new plan going forward.
Dolan added that the Superintendent would be presenting a plan to address the issue in the coming months.
"When we talk about the possibility of additions to schools, or building new schools, that is also not a viable option," Dolan added."We can't build our way out of this challenge."