METHUEN — City councilors begrudgingly passed the $57.6 million school budget last night during an eleventh hour meeting on the first day of the new fiscal year.

"This budget is a dog with many fleas that keeps on bugging the City Council," said Councilor Kenneth Willette Jr., who has said he is considering a run for the School Committee in the fall.

Councilors rejected the school budget earlier this month, leaving the schools with the possibility of being unable to pay bills starting this week. But they met last night to reconsider and passed the budget on a 5-1 vote. Councilor Joseph Leone voted no, and councilors Larry Giordano, Philip Lahey Jr. and John Cronin Jr. missed the meeting.

Councilors cannot change the school budget, they can only approve or disapprove the bottom line. Without their approval, state officials said the schools can't legally pay bills.

Superintendent Jeanne Whitten said Monday night that she plans to avert as many layoffs of program assistants and custodians as she can, partly by attempting to save $200,000 in energy costs while "hoping for a mild winter" and turning thermostats down.

Willette said he requested that Whitten provide councilors with a breakdown of the jobs she's saving. He wanted the information before last night's meeting, but Whitten didn't provide it.

"Absolute dereliction of duty of the superintendent," Willette said.

Whitten did not attend the meeting and she did not return a message left on her cell phone last night.

Councilor Stephen Zanni noted that Mayor William Manzi took a 10 percent pay cut before negotiating pay cuts for municipal workers, but Whitten only took a pay freeze while unsuccessfully trying to convince the teachers, nurses and secretaries unions to forgo their contracted pay raises.

Leone said the council was "up against a wall," faced with virtually shutting down the School Department if they didn't pass the budget.

Willette said he "can't even stomach" the budget.

"But we have to pay the bills," he said.

Councilor Jeanne Pappalardo said she's concerned about the plan to cut energy costs and lower temperatures in schools.

"It seems like every winter is getting colder with more snow," she said. "The kids will be sicker."

The budget calls for 13 program assistants and 10 custodians to be laid off. Also cut are 14 assistant athletic coaches who work part time and receive stipends, but Whitten said Monday she plans to save as many jobs as possible with a combination of cost savings in other areas.

School Committee member Robert Vogler attended last night's meeting and said school officials are still trying to figure out how many jobs they can save.

Council Chairwoman Deborah Quinn said she's worried about the layoffs, like for custodians who maintain the buildings so students have clean classrooms.

"That's not a luxury, that's a right," she said.

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