Norwich — Tensions again were high during the second budget workshop between the City Council and Board of Education on Thursday, and school officials still are wrangling with the projected $1.5 million shortfall for the current fiscal year ending June 30.

The Board of Education requested an $83 million budget for 2018-19, a 9 percent increase over this year’s $76.18 million, while the City Council is considering a 2 percent increase to $77 million. School officials have threatened to take court action if necessary if the council does not provide adequate funding.

School Business Administrator Athena Nagel said the deficit for this year likely would total $1.5 million but the exact amount won’t be finalized until all bills come in by early August. Because of that, Alderman Joseph DeLucia suggested putting the current year deficit “on the back burner” to deal with the immediate problem of approving next year's budget.

The City Council is expected to adopt a final city and school budget for the 2018-19 fiscal year on Monday. DeLucia said one resolution to be considered Monday would boost the proposed school budget to a 3 percent increase. Alderwoman Stephanie Burnham said the increase to next year’s school budget needs to consider that this year’s total is likely $1.5 million higher than the previously approved $76.18 million.

“The City Council is being asked to fund a massive increase,” Mayor Peter Nystrom said. “In order to do that, we have to have a very frank discussion. We just need to have a better understanding.”

But no answers emerged. Superintendent Abby Dolliver said school officials have gone through the budget over and over and can’t find the solution. In the past, the city has closed schools and consolidated, but Dolliver said class sizes now are at maximum. If two teachers per school were eliminated, classes would be so crowded, it would trigger fire marshal inspections, she said.

Nystrom and other aldermen questioned parts of the school budget, including special education costs, tuition and special education services provided to Norwich Free Academy. The Board of Education has notified NFA that the board wants to renegotiate the partner town contract but that wouldn’t start for another two years.

Nystrom questioned whether the school system could live within any dictated budget total.

Board of Education member Patricia Staley told the council Thursday she “took a meat cleaver” to the school budget and came up with only $400,000 in potential cuts, barely a dent in the requested $6.8 million increase.

Staley said the only solution she found is double sessions — closing some school buildings and sending some students to sessions in the mornings and others in the afternoon and evening. Staley questioned how much savings that would bring and whether the state would allow such a drastic move.

“You lay off a bunch of people, and you have to pay unemployment,” Staley said of the double sessions. “And I personally don’t want to be responsible for parents losing a job because of child care.”

DeLucia said if the council approves less than what the school budget requires, the school board would be back to the City Council next spring with another shortfall.

“You’re right,” Dolliver said.

“It’s not there,” school board member Aaron “Al” Daniels said. “It’s just not there. I don’t know what else to tell you.”

c.bessette@theday.com