DOVER — After some officials expressed concerns about a $1.6 million cushion in the school district budget, members of the city council and the school board are meeting tonight to iron out the issue.

The joint fiscal committee will publicly discuss the matter during a 7 p.m. meeting in the media center at the McConnell Center.

Mayor Dean Trefethen has invited Superintendent Jean Briggs Badger to the meeting.

“Obviously we need to mend relationships,” Briggs Badger said, adding she has drafted a memo that outlines the facts, figures and dates involved.

According to an April 9 memo — part of the school board's packet for the Sept. 10 meeting — the district had a fund balance of $1,560,429 at the end of the third quarter. About $687,000 of “unencumbered appropriations” were used to purchase items based on a list of administrative needs.

“These items were to be non-recurring expenses, one-time purchases and not personnel related; but rather purchases that were directly related to our underfunded curriculum, technology and safety needs,” according to Briggs Badger's memo.

City Councilor Mike Crago said a “shopping spree” was conducted before the heated budget process was completed, and the district used up funds in order to limit the amount of money returned to the city.

Using fiscal year 2012 funds, on June 11 the school board approved the purchase of Internet content filtering devices, associated warranties and remote consulting services. During a special session a week later, the board agreed to let the district buy Cisco Catalyst 2960 switches, Acer Aspire notebook computers, 19-inch LCD monitors, Nexlink 3425 SFF mini tower PCs, an alignment system used in the automotive technology lab and an electronic security system, according to the memo.

“There should be no surprises as to these purchases as the curriculum adoption plan and technology plan, as well as the Primex safety report were brought before the old and the new school board for both review and approval,” Briggs Badger's memo said.

After rejecting a request to override the city's tax cap by $670,367, the City Council appropriated $46,252,919 for the district budget. As a result, the district trimmed 6.67 teaching positions and four paraprofessionals, which affected the High School Freshmen Academy and some extracurricular activities, according to the memo, which is available on the School District's webpage: http://www.dover.k12.nh.us/.

Mayor Trefethen said everyone needs to “go into the meeting with an open mind.”

“It's up to individual members on both boards to try and get past this,” Trefethen said.

Briggs Badger said she hopes the issue was raised by a few officials as a result of a lack of information, rather than something more “devious.”

“We have to take the high road,” Briggs Badger said, adding “the allegations going around are untrue.”

Crado said he is concerned the joint meeting will be as unproductive as previous sessions during budget season. He added it's possible nothing will get accomplished, especially if some school officials “tell us to stick it in our ears and it's none of our business.”

Crado said he regretted how negative and divisive the issue has become, especially since the school district has proven how frugal it can be during tough economic times.

“We could have celebrated in the streets together,” Crado said.

jquinn@newstote.com