Back to work.. Mullin staying put for now

Superintendent Spencer Mullin has rejected any call for him to leave his position early. A story in yesterday’s paper basically says that he’s submitted his retirement paperwork as of a certain day, and he plans to follow through with the final months of the position:

From the Lowel Sun article:

Last month the committee asked school attorneys to negotiate with Superintendent of Schools W. Spencer Mullin to try to force him to leave his job as soon as possible — as long as the deal wouldn’t cost the town money.

But Mullin’s lawyer shot down all discussions for an earlier retirement date, according to Sheehan.

Mullin said he has already submitted his retirement papers to the state with a March 3 retirement date.

“I still fully intend to stay to March 3, the date of my retirement. We’re right in the middle of the budget process and we have work to do, so I’m proceeding with the work that has to be done,” Mullin said yesterday.

It will not be surprising to watch us have to go through budget perturbations again this year, as we still have no idea regarding state funding.

The city and town reliance now on state funding for education is a considerable problem. We are forced to fulfill mandates, in many cases because we took the money. However, we have become so dependent on state money that we cannot function any more without it.

But each year we have no idea how much will come to the town, and now with this federal stimulus money.. when it will ever appear.

If the federal money does not show up soon, will we be forced to lay off a considerable number of teachers to make up for the shortfall in this year’s budget?