WETHERSFIELD - A Town Council meeting regarding a Board of Education requested $625,000 shift from its CIP to its Operating budget has been rescheduled to 7 p.m. this Thursday.

       The plan was originally to discuss the request Monday night, but scheduling conflicts among members of the Republican Council Majority prompted Democrats to ultimately cancel the meeting and seek a later date, said Minority Leader Carol Anest on Saturday.

       The $625,000 shift is being requested in order to allow the Board to cover special education cost overages, the funding of two high school STEM academies, and four current teacher positions currently marked for layoffs.

       Council Democrats-along with Independent Councilor Maureen Klett-called the meeting last week.

       Superintendent of Schools Bill Collins had been hoping to have a response for the purpose of district class scheduling by June 2. The question that has been lingering since the Council’s May 23 meeting is how the funds-budgeted right now for the John Wallace reconfiguration project-can move to the Board operating budget without a violation of the Town Charter.

       Collins had hoped to give the Board until June 13-as he stated during the May 23 Council meeting-but announced the June 2 deadline the next day on the prompting of conversations he said he had with staff. District staff are in the process of helping students through scheduling adjustments in case the high school STEM academy courses are not available this fall.

       â€�"We feel that this can’t wait,” said Minority Leader Carol Anest. â€�"We can’t let these kids go with the unknowns for another two weeks. The quicker we can make a decision, the better.”

       Mayor Roy Zartarian declined a request for comment when reached Thursday morning. He and members of the Republican Majority called for caution a week and a half ago, citing a Town Attorney opinion pointing to a Charter imposed six month waiting period for both special appropriations and transfers of unencumbered funds.

       So Democrats suggested voting to commit the money now, and then making a transfer in January-a move Republicans said would raise further questions given the entrance of a new Council this coming November.

       Board Chair Nancy Petronio said that discussions with members of the Republican Majority this week yielded a Mayor-driven proposal to dedicate projected health benefits surpluses for next year toward the requested $625,000. She said that it is too early to call how much-if any of it-the Board will get back, and that it would not resolve the issue of using nonrecurring funds for annual expenses such as salaries.

       So Petronio suggested asking the town’s agent of record to adjust health benefit cost projections-the town uses that position to direct the Board on how to budget for related expenses-so that funds could be moved within the school operating amount to pay for staff salaries without raising the Minimum Budgeting Requirement for the next year.

       Zartarian did not return a second phone call seeking comment regarding his proposal.

       Meanwhile, a pair of Newington residents are waiting until the special meeting to present a Change.org petition-now with over 600 signatures-calling for the Council to find a way to move the money, while voicing concerns regarding a deferred STEM academy and impacts to class sizes in the event of teacher layoffs.

       Michael Branda and Dr. Forrest Helvie-who are spearheading the campaign-had originally planned to pass the petition along to the Council on June 1, but opted to hold off after learning of the special meeting.