School committee to discuss November override figure at next week’s meeting

Next week’s school committee budget subcommittee and regular committee meetings will go a long way towards determining the amount of a proposed Proposition 2-½ override that is expected to be on the November election ballot.

The budget subcommittee meeting is open to the public and takes place on Monday, July 22 at 5 p.m. in the Harvey Hearing Room at town hall. The regular school committee meeting follows at 6 p.m., and there will be a public comment period during the regular meeting where residents will be able to give their input on any proposed override figures.

Over the past several months, Superintendent of Schools Lisa Howard and her team have been working with the school committee and town officials to finalize budget numbers and the financial impact of an override proposal for the FY26 school year, and possibly beyond.

The recently completed FY25 budget process saw the school department working to close a $1.4 million gap in its proposed level-services budget through a combination of prepaying some expenses from the FY24 budget and coming close to closing out a number of revolving funds. 

Both Howard and other town officials have stated that that approach will not be viable for future budgets, most likely growing to an even greater future shortfall.

School Committee member Gus Martucci, who chairs the budget subcommittee, said his committee will discuss the various override options and potentially make a recommendation to the full school committee. The school committee could then vote on the figure at either its July 22 meeting or its August meeting in order to present it to the town council in August. The council would then vote to put the override on the November ballot.

The amount of the override figure will be based largely on the number of years the school committee wants the override to cover, and whether it is seeking a level-services or a needs-based budget figure.

“We’ll make a recommendation of what we want to see on the ballot, and then all of those figures will go to the school committee and the final decision will be made by the school committee,” said Martucci.

There was a lengthy discussion of potential override and budget numbers for FY26 and beyond at last week’s school committee meeting.

“There are probably going to be more figures coming out than what was discussed at the last school committee meeting, there are going to be more options of what we want to see on the ballot,” said Martucci on Tuesday. 

At Tuesday night’s town council meeting, Council President Jim Letterie said the superintendent has been working tirelessly with the town’s finance director and the school business manager on budget forecasting for the next three to five years.

At last week’s committee meeting, Letterie noted that the formula for the override typically adds about $184 per million dollars requested in an override on the average residential tax bill.

At that meeting, Howard said that if an override does not pass on the ballot, there would be serious repercussions when it comes to school staffing. About 85 percent of the school department’s budget is for staffing costs, while only 15 percent is earmarked for expenses.

“It would reduce the number of people working in the schools and increase class sizes,” said Howard.

While Howard said she would like to see a larger override so that the school budget would be in good shape for the next five years, she said she realizes the school committee has to be realistic about what voters will accept for a tax increase.

To cover the anticipated shortfall for FY26 alone, Howard said she estimated the schools would need a $4.5 million override to maintain a level-services budget and about $5.5 million to cover the anticipated shortfall for a needs-based budget.

“The needs-based budget is not aspirational,” said Letterie. “It’s basically what most parents and citizens would want for their children and the community for education.”

Police

The following incident reports are among the calls to which the Winthrop Police Department responded on the listed dates. The log is a public record and available for review. All persons who are arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Monday, July 1

0913: A Banks St. resident came to the station to report that a rear window on his motor vehicle had been smashed overnight.

1213: An officer assisted the parties with the exchange of papers at a minor motor vehicle accident on Woodside Ave.

1348: An officer stopped a motor vehicle on River Rd. at Washington Ave. for the civil moving infraction of a marked lanes violation. The officer gave a verbal warning to the operator.

1652: An officer stopped a motor vehicle with an expired registration  on Winthrop St.  The officer directed the operator to take care of the issue forthwith.

1718: An officer stopped a motor vehicle on Shore Dr. at Hawthorn Ave. for the civil moving infraction of a crosswalk violation. The officer issued a citation to the operator.

1744: An officer stopped a motor vehicle on Bartlett Rd. for the civil moving infraction of making an illegal turn. The officer gave a verbal warning to the operator.

1749: An officer stopped a motor vehicle on Shirley St. for the civil moving infraction of speeding (40 in a 20 m.p.h. zone). The officer issued a citation to the operator.

Tuesday, July 2

0122: An officer issued parking tickets to four vehicles without resident parking stickers on Sea View Ave.

0613: A Court Rd. resident reported that his gazebo had been broken into overnight. An electric scooter had been taken, but it was recovered up the street. A neighbor may have camera footage. The officer filed a report.

0938: A resident came into the station to report a larceny in which she had paid for some items via Apple Pay but never received them. The officer filed a report.

1012: A resident reported that a check she had placed into a mailbox had been fraudulently cashed. The officer filed a report.

1206: A Jefferson Ave. property owner reported illegal dumping on the property. The officer filed a report.

1303: An officer responded to a motor vehicle accident on Governor’s Drive. Both parties refused medical attention, but both vehicles were towed. The officer filed a report.

1357: A person came into the station to report the theft of a package. The officer filed a report.

1718: A resident came into the station to report being the victim of identity theft. The officer filed a report.

1749: An officer stopped a moped with no plates on Main St. The officer directed the owner to park the moped on the side of the road until the vehicle is registered and insured.

Wednesday, July 3

0047: An officer dispersed persons from Hannaford Park, which is closed after dark.

0844: A person brought into the station a small Yorkie that had been running around the area of Cross and Main Sts.

0913: A Sewall Ave. resident reported that he had been bitten on his finger the night before by a dog while he was jogging. The victim took himself to the hospital at that time. The matter was referred to the Animal Control Officer. 

1137: A person came into the station to report the theft of his inflatable dinghy that was being stored at a local yacht club. The officer filed a report.

1201: An officer responded to a report of a man being bitten by a dog on Ocean View St. The victim was transported to the MGH. The dog’s owners were informed that they must quarantine their dog for 10 days. The matter was referred to the Animal Control Officer.

1331: Officers responded to a two-car motor vehicle accident between a Toyota Prius and a Toyota Camry at Linden and Atlantic Sts. There were no injuries, but both vehicles were towed. The officer filed a report.

1445: A resident came into the station to report being defrauded of a large sum of money in connection with cryptocurrency investments. The officer filed a report.

1620: A resident reported an unauthorized debit withdrawal from his bank account. The officer filed a report.

1746: An officer responded to a report of a vehicle and trailer submerged in the water at the Public Landing. The vehicle and trailer were towed out of the water.

1927: An officer assisted the parties with the exchange of papers at a minor motor vehicle accident on Shirley St. The officer filed a report.

2026: A resident reported a larceny by fraud. The officer filed a report.

2313: An officer dispersed persons in three vehicles from Hannaford Park, which is closed after dark.

Thursday, July 4

0319: An officer directed two groups of loud party-goers on boats at the Atlantis Marina to shut it down for the night.

1054: A Hutchinson St. resident reported that her parked motor vehicle had been struck by a hit-and-run operator overnight. The officer filed a report.

1211: An officer issued a parking ticket to a vehicle without a placard that was parked in the handicapped parking spot on Cutler St. 

1431: An officer responded to a minor motor vehicle accident at the Public Landing and filed a report.

1718: An officer issued a parking ticket to a vehicle partially blocking a driveway on Nevada St.

1753: An officer stopped a motor vehicle on Bayview Ave. for the civil moving infraction of a marked lanes violation. The officer gave a verbal warning to the operator.

2010: An officer ordered a tow for a motor vehicle parked too closely to a fire hydrant and impeding traffic on Siren St.

2042: An officer directed a person to stop using fireworks on Banks St.

2102: An officer directed a group to stop using fireworks near Lewis Lake.

2231: An officer dispersed groups of people from Hannaford Park, which is closed after dark.

2241: An officer directed a group to stop using fireworks on Shore Drive at Wave Way Ave.

2242: An officer stopped a motor vehicle in Metcalf Sq. for the civil moving infraction of a marked lanes violation. The officer issued a citation to the operator.

2354: An officer responded to a report of a group of youths running in the aisles at the Seven/Eleven. The officer detained the youths until their parents arrived and advised them that they were in violation of the town’s youth curfew by-law. The officer filed a report.

Friday, July 5

0111: An officer issued a parking ticket to a vehicle without a resident parking sticker on Forrest St.

0247: A report of youths setting off fireworks on Shore Drive was referred to the State Police.

0302: An officer directed a group of loud party-goers at a Revere St. residence to turn off their music for the night.

1422: A person who was bitten in the face by a family dog was transported to the MGH. The officer filed a report.

1610: A resident came into the station to report being the victim of identity theft. The officer filed a report.

1912: A resident report that a check that he had placed in a mailbox in the town had been “washed” with his wife’s signature. The officer filed a report.

2036: An officer directed the operators of two vehicles parked in the fire lane on Shirley St. to move their vehicles.

2036: A report of youths shooting off fireworks on Short Beach was referred to the State Police.

2111: An officer directed persons to leave Hannaford Park, which is closed after dark.

2140: An officer dispersed youths playing basketball on the courts on Walden St.

Saturday, July 6

0905: An officer ordered a tow for a motor vehicle with expired plates at the Public Landing.

1124: An officer ordered a tow for a motor vehicle with expired plates that was parked on Shirley St.

1209: An officer stopped a motor vehicle on Hermon St. for a civil moving infraction. The officer gave a verbal warning to the operator.

1239: An officer issued parking tickets to five vehicles on Somerset Ave.

1243: An officer responded to a report of a person being assaulted by two male parties on Banks St. The victim was transported to the Whidden Hospital with a head wound. Officers contacted East Boston Police about a possible suspect and arrested Domenic Nuzzo, 25, of East Boston, for the criminal offenses of assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon, assault and battery, and intimidation of a witness.

1433: An officer ordered tows for two vehicles with expired plates at the Public Landing.

1438: Officers responded to a call from a Shirley St. resident who reported that a person was slumped over the steering wheel of a running car. The officers arrested Marco Ernesto Henriquez, 33, of Everett, for the criminal offenses of operating  motor vehicle while under the influence of liquor (2nd offense) and operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license He also was cited for the civil infraction of having an open container of alcohol.

1507: Upon further investigation of the earlier alleged assault and battery, officers arrested another suspect, Thomas F. Henderson, 24, of East Boston, for the criminal offenses of two counts of assault by means of a dangerous weapon and two counts of intimidation of a witness.

2257: An officer directed a small gathering of persons at Governors Park to take it in for the night.

2334: An officer directed a loud group of party-goers on Taylor St. to call it a night.

Sunday, July 7

0037: An officer directed a loud group of party-goers on Cutler St. to call it a night.

0144: An officer dispersed persons in two cars from Hannaford Park, which is closed after dark.

1903: An officer directed the operator of a motor vehicle parked in the Fire Lane on Shirley St. to move the vehicle.

1905: An officer stopped a motor vehicle on Revere St. for the civil moving infraction of a crosswalk violation. The officer issued a citation to the operator.

2003: An officer stopped a motor vehicle on Walden St. for the civil moving infraction of a marked lanes violation. The officer issued a citation to the operator.

2044: An officer stopped a moped on Beacon St. and ordered it towed.

MONDAY, JULY 8 0111: An officer issued a parking ticket to a vehicle on Lewis Ave. 0141: An officer issued four parking tickets to vehicles without resident parking stickers on Hermon St.