Residents demand more oversight of Hanscom funding

(Editor’s note: This article has been updated after conversations with several town and school officials on March 17. Changes are indicated with strikethrough and red text. A more detailed response in the form of a “My Turn” piece from one or more of those officials will be forthcoming in a day or two.)

Dozens of residents speaking by Zoom at the March 11 Finance Committee meeting demanded greater oversight of education spending after about $2 million was mistakenly allocated from Lincoln town funds for Hanscom School benefits and pensions from FY2021–2025.

The error inaccurate allocation was first brought to light in 2022 by resident David Cuetos. The School Committee performed an audit in 2024; also that year, a working group including Cuetos was formed. aided by a consultant. Since then, a revised allocation approach was adopted and about $560,000 has been returned, but he and others have been trying to get the town to recover the other $1.5 million.

Cuetos published his detailed report on the matter in a March 3 “My Turn” piece in the Lincoln Squirrel. FinCom chair Paul Blanchfield posted his own piece on the issue on March 9.

“Can you explain why it was OK for residents to lose control of that money? We didn’t get to vote on it or a say about what it goes towards,” Sarah Postlethwait said. “Hanscom needs to reduce their costs so they can save up for these [unfunded] liabilities. Why is this considered acceptable?”

Blanchfield said that the School Committee and not the FinCom has sole responsibility about how education funding in Lincoln is spent or saved. “In the vast majority of cases in town, I would say we have a direct democracy, but this is a little more representative. We elect School Committee members every year,” he said.

“We didn’t vote on their having the $2 million in their pocket,” Postlethwait said. 

“I’m not going to disagree with the sentiment of what you’re saying,” Blanchfield replied.

“It’s a gray area,” said FinCom member Greg Haines. “Technically [the School Committee’s]  prerogative, but the Finance Committee could make a recommendation.” 

“It’s a mistake to transfer money from the general fund to pay for Hanscom expenses,” said resident Sarah Liepert. “They should return it to where it’s supposed to be. I can’t understand any other answer than that.”

However, Committee Chair Matina Madrick later made it clear in a conversation with the Lincoln Squirrel that the School Committee does not have any authority to spend from the town’s general fund and never has (only from the Lincoln and Hanscom school funds), so it’s solely a question of what allocation of costs should be made to the Hanscom contract.

The FinCom said they would recommend that the School Committee institute a formal reserve policy. The Hanscom issue will be discussed at the latter committee’s March 19 meeting.

“I actually think the School Committee does not have the prerogative to use that money,” Cuetos said, adding that he would consult town counsel about the question. He suggested that there should be a vote on the issue at Town Meeting rather than the School Committee.

“We need as a town to reevaluate how Hanscom funds are handled,” said resident Karla Gravis, suggesting a multi-board approach rather than the School Committee having sole oversight.

“This is really complicated,” Blanchfield said, adding that Lincoln is one of only three school districts in the country that contracts with the Department of Defense to educate children of active service members living in town.