Beverly City Council Reviews $62.4 Million School Budget at Special Hearing

BEVERLY — June 11, 2020 — Beverly City Council reviews $62.4 million school budget and hears warnings on rising waste costs. Sitting as the Committee of the Whole and Committee on Finance and Property at a special June 11 budget hearing, the council heard from Beverly Public Schools superintendent — identified in the transcript as "Dr. Torchick" — that the district's FY21 budget of $62,417,942 reflects a level-service plan built for in-person learning, even as September remained uncertain; the figure was trimmed $100,000 after the city capped its additional appropriation at $1.4 million over the FY20 base. Enrollment has grown from 4,468 to a projected 4,726 students in two years, driving staffing additions including a new English Language Learner teacher at the high school and expanded middle school electives. Director of Public Services and Engineering Michael Collins warned that the city's solid waste contract with JRM expires after FY21, and that recycling costs have flipped to exceed trash-disposal costs in many markets, forecasting a significant future budget hit. Airport Director Gloria Bouillon reported $34 million in annual economic impact and $69,000 in CARES Act funds, noting corporate aviation activity rose 17 percent in the period just before the pandemic.