Education
Report: Here’s Why Consolidating Town/Public School Services is So Difficult
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The town’s public school district and the rest of town government buy or perform many of the same services independently, and town officials have long wondered whether these two sides of local government could cooperate more in ways that might save taxpayers money or provide services more effectively. Employee health insurance contracts, which the town and Darien Public Schools each buy independently, is one of the very expensive areas where town officials have long hoped they might save money through consolidation with the district. An ad hoc committee, called the Consolidated Services Working Group (or “CSWG” —made up of town officials and school district officials), recently investigated various areas where each side either might or already has been working in tandem to be more efficient. Frank Huck, chairman of the CSWG and of the Board of Finance, presented the report to the Board of Selectmen on Monday, gave some additional comments to the board and answered their questions. [The entire report is reprinted below.]
In the committee’s report and in his comments Huck said that in areas like buying natural gas and electricity the town and school district already consolidate their purchasing.