RECENT COVERAGE OF THE PORTLAND SCHOOLS'
BUDGET SITUATION



School Committee may revive personnel panel
The subcommittee, which hasn't existed for several years, would address salaries and contract talks.
[October 24, 2007]

Portland schools' legal budget drained
Any litigation between now and June would result in the school
district being charged by its law firm.
[October 11, 2007]

If budget doesn't pass, then what?
Failure to approve school funding by July 1 under the new merger law could disrupt Portland finances.
[October 3, 2007]

Portland wants early jump in filling school post
A committee to search for a new superintendent will be formed in October.
[September 28, 2007]

Grant findings expand Portland schools' deficit
Last year's deficit is now pegged at $2.1 million, and more overspending is projected for this year.
[September 26, 2007]

Double duty for head of Portland schools
Jeanne Whynot-Vickers has to cover her previous post as she sorts
out her new superintendent duties.
[September 21, 2007]

Interim school chief is chosen
Portland's assistant superintendent is selected to do the district's top job through June.
[September 20, 2007]

Casco Bay High budget error contributed to school deficit
To fund CBHS last year, officials planned to use a grant that had been spent.
[September 19, 2007]

Portland schools file late, lose aid
A calculation error and a late attempt to correct it cost the district up to $350,000 in state funding.
[September 15, 2007]

School hires no surprise after all
A probe into Portland finances finds unfunded positions should have been expected by officials.
[September 12, 2007]

School board pressed to act
Superintendent Mary Jo O'Connor resigned but remains in charge, creating an 'awkward' situation.
[September 9, 2007]

[September 9, 2007]

Portland's use of school grants questioned
The U.S. Department of Education asks the state for Portland's records.
[September 7, 2007]

Board appeals ruling on notes
A judge had ruled that parts of a closed-door committee meeting were illegal when discussion strayed to public budget matters.
[September 7, 2007]

Portland School Committee to appeal ruling on closed meeting
The board's attorney insists that documents from the July 25
executive session are off-limits.
[September 6, 2007]

Deficit report spreads blame
The superintendent, head of finance and school board neglected their duties, the analysis finds.
[September 6, 2007]

At $1.7 million, school deficit less than feared
Final numbers from the budget that ended June 30 show that the city finished in the black.
[August 30, 2007]

Superintendent calls it quits
Mary Jo O'Connor resigns after weeks of controversy over a school budget deficit.
[August 30, 2007]

It's high time for minutes, activists say
Legislators may consider requiring public officials to keep meeting records.
[August 28, 2007]

[August 27, 2007]

City to leave 12 jobs in schools unfilled
The decision is expected to cut a total of $520,000 from the
estimated $2.5 million budget deficit.
[August 23, 2007]

Judge: School board session violated law
The Portland School Committee must release notes from a closed-door meeting last month.
[August 22, 2007]

Schools advised to take control
The City Council urges a tougher budget plan than the one recently offered by the superintendent.
[August 21, 2007]

Budget crisis puts alternative high school under microscope
Casco Bay is praised by its students, but others question its very
existence.
[August 19, 2007]

Judge to decide whether closed school meeting was legal
The Portland School Committee's executive session leads to a
newspaper challenge and a hearing.
[August 18, 2007]

Portland school jobs might be left vacant
City officials consider freezing 25-30 positions while they work to
resolve the district budget deficit.

[August 16, 2007]

BILL NEMITZDay is here for O'Connor to walk away
Portland's superintendent can no longer lead the district effectively.
[August 15, 2007]

Schools' troubles spur candidates
Seven people take out papers to run for two at-large Portland School Committee seats.
[August 15, 2007]

City seeks to spell out finance role in schools
A proposed agreement says responsibility for educational policy
and budget changes would remain with school officials.
[August 14, 2007]

Impact of special education on budget disputed
City school officials say unforeseen costs threw the budget off;
others say they should have known.
[August 12, 2007]

Portland starts to feel the crunch
The Portland and Deering athletic departments are
reducing coaches to meet a budget shortfall.
[August 11, 2007]

Board expects deficit answers within month
The Portland School Committee will base its next moves on the report.
[August 11, 2007]

Schools face new spending cutbacks
To avoid a Portland deficit in the coming year, tough decisions must be made on staffing and programs.
[August 11, 2007]

O'Connor proposal would be 'unusual' among Maine school districts
In most districts, finances and budgets are an integral part of a superintendent's job, school officials say. No other district in Maine has an arrangement like the kind proposed by Portland's superintendent.
[August 10, 2007]

O'Connor plan limits her finance duties
The School Committee and city staff would handle budget matters while she focuses on school policy and programs.
[August 9, 2007]

School boards strain just to find members
Demands of the job and government mandates often scare off candidates.
[August 8, 2007]

O'Connor to air plan for money managing
The Portland superintendent wants to prevent mistakes like the ones that contributed to a $2.5 million deficit.
[August 8, 2007]

Portland borrowing delayed until school crisis addressed
Capital projects must wait if the city is to maintain its bond rating, City Manager Joseph Gray Jr. says.
[August 7, 2007]

Other districts unaffected by budget 'storm'
Many say that, unlike Portland, they do not plan for what they call
unreliable Medicaid funds.
[August 5, 2007]

Finance not the focus when superintendent was hired
Some criticize Mary Jo O'Connor's leadership and want her out.
Others laud the progress she fostered.
[August 5, 2007]

[August 3, 2007]

Steps taken to mend budget-deficit wounds
The city's top budget officer begins working with the schools to try to prevent future problems.
[August 3, 2007]

Executive session lawsuit hearings may be expedited
The Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram and the Portland
School Committee both seek fast track.
[August 2, 2007]

City finance staff to take over school budget
The Portland School Committee also votes to hire a lawyer to
investigate a $2.5 million budget deficit.




[August 2, 2007]

Newspaper asks court to order release of secret session records
But the School Committee argues that the notes taken are not
public documents.

[August 1, 2007]

Accounting of school grants lacking
Other school districts can produce in one day what Portland's finance officials couldn't do in months.
[July 31, 2007]

Budget mess raises credibility concerns
Portland school officials face growing criticism over a $2.5million deficit discovered in May.
[July 29, 2007]

An emerging deficit
A timeline of actions leading up to Portland Schools' deficit.
[July 27, 2007]

Newspaper questions legality of meeting
The School Committee attorney says the panel was discussing employees' duties, not the budget.

Read Freedom of Access Act Request letter: Page one | Page two

[July 27, 2007]

Reaction mixed on closed meeting
School Committee members defend the decision to go private, saying it was necessary to get candid answers.
[July 27, 2007]

AN EMERGING DEFICIT

2006

OCT. 6: City auditors issue a report highlighting problems in the School Department's accounting that "lends itself to errors going unnoticed."

2007

MAY 3: City councilors learn that school officials failed to cut $500,000 from $82 million 2006-07 school budget as ordered.
MAY 4: Superintendent Mary Jo O'Connor says she instituted spending controls in February and expects the budget to show $500,000 reduction by June 30.
MAY 9: Paul Colpitts, city financial administrator, notifies School Finance Director Richard Paulson of an anticipated $2.4 million deficit in the 2006-07 budget.
JULY 10: O'Connor announces school department overspent budget that ended June 30 by $1.7 million. She calls it "regrettable but unavoidable."
JULY 13: School officials warn that the 2006-07 budget deficit may climb as high as $2.5 million when auditors complete their review this fall.
JULY 17: City and school officials plan to reconcile deficit through the city's reserve fund and to institute new budget review process.
JULY 25: School Committee holds executive session in wake of deficit announcement.
JULY 30: Paulson resigns; Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram asks judge to order release of budget-related documents from executive session.
AUG. 1: O'Connor and City Manager Joseph Gray Jr. agree to have city staff oversee school finances, at least for short term.
AUG 9: School Committee hires lawyer Bryan Dench, of Skelton Taintor & Abbott in Auburn, to investigate causes of deficit.
AUG. 21: Judge rules that parts of July 25 executive session were illegal and orders school officials to release budget-related documents.
AUG. 29: O'Connor resigns; city finance officials say school deficit is at least $1.7 million, but they're still figuring out grant spending.
SEPT. 5: Dench's report attributes deficit to giving raises and hiring people not budgeted for; levels blame on O'Connor, Paulson and School Committee.
SEPT. 6: School Committee appeals judge's decision on July 25 executive session.
SEPT. 19: School Committee names Jeanne Whynot-Vickers, assistant superintendent, to replace O'Connor on interim basis.

Related Documents


Statement from Interim Superintendent Jeanne Whynot-Vickers Download statement

Read e-mails about Casco Bay High School overspending

Read e-mails on how Portland lost state education aid

Deficit Investigator's Report
Download the report

Read Superintendent O'Connor's written statement on why she resigned

Read O'Connor's separation agreement reached with the Portland School Committee

Superior Court Justice Cole’s comments on Maine’s need for meeting minutes

Portland schools athletic budget reductions
Download document

Superintendent Mary Jo O'Connor’s
financial plan
First Version | Second Version

Memo of understanding: City of Portland and School Department
First version | Second Version

MaineToday Media, Inc. v. Portland School Committee
Download court's decision

The Portland Press Herald’s complaint
Download complaint

Portland School Committee's response to the Portland Press Herald’s request to produce records of the executive session
Download Response



Read Freedom of Access Act Request letter:
Page one | Page two

Portland schools web site


MAINE FREEDOM OF ACCESS ACT
WHAT THE MAINE Freedom of Access Act says about executive sessions: Deliberations may be conducted in executive sessions on the following matters and no others: A: Discussion or consideration of the employment, appointment, assignment, duties, promotion, demotion, compensation, evaluation, disciplining, resignation or dismissal of an individual or group of public officials, appointees or employees of the body or agency or the investigation or hearing of charges or complaints against a person or persons subject to the following conditions: (1) An executive session may be held only if public discussion could be reasonably expected to cause damage to the reputation or the individual's right to privacy would be violated; (2) Any person charged or investigated shall be permitted to be present at an executive session if he so desires; (3) Any person charged or investigated may request in writing that the investigation or hearing of charges or complaints against him be conducted in open session. A request, if made to the agency, must be honored; and (4) Any person charged or investigated may request in writing that the investigation or hearing of charges or complaints against him be conducted in open session. A request, if made to the agency, must be honored.