Lincoln School Committee approves year-end pre-purchases, will return surplus to town

LINCOLN -- June 21, 2012, Lincoln School Committee splits 3-1-1 on returning year-end surplus to town. The committee approved roughly $160,000 in pre-purchases, combining special education tuition, computer replacements, a $2,581 restoration to the eighth-grade Legacy Fund, and approximately $30,000 for state-mandated educator evaluation implementation, with the remainder of an approximately $305,000 to $350,000 surplus returning to free cash. Member Tom Sander argued the district should be "really effective stewards of the resources we have," while member Al Schmertzler said he would "vote against giving back money to the FinCom" given school building uncertainty. Member Tim Christenfeld voted no, saying the package was still too conservative. Superintendent Michael Brandmeyer, attending his final meeting before retirement, said it was the committee's first non-unanimous vote in roughly a decade. Eighth-grade parent Linda Genovese also won committee agreement to restrict Legacy Fund spending to field trips, athletics and music, reversing $2,581 in transportation aid.