The school superintendent has removed her personal tanning chair from her office after protests that it was in poor taste, giving an appearance of luxury while the school and town face severe budget problems. The chair, with an ultraviolet lamp attached, also took up space that had been used by a town agency. Superintendent Concetta Verge said she had the equipment at school because her husband would not allow her to use it at home. She said he considered it harmful to her health. Ultraviolet light has been linked to skin cancer. ``It's gone. It's been removed,'' she said Wednesday. ``This is silly'' she said of the furor raised over the tanning equipment. ``People who have talked to me aren't too happy,'' said Joseph Bilotta, chairman of the selectmen. ``Things are tight and people take offense.'' Marcella Collier, a member of the School Committee, said the tanning equipment did not enhance the superintendent's image in the conservative north-central Massachusetts town. ``I requested to go see it and make sure it was going to be removed,'' she said. ``I'm totally outraged,'' said resident Mary Alatalo. ``It's more than bizarre because the town is squeezing every department for everything they've got.'' Massachusetts has a $2.3 billion budget deficit and has had to sharply cut aid to local governments, forcing schools to make deep cuts. At one point, Lunenberg had to close its town library. Mrs. Verge said she had been keeping the equipment temporarily in the school until it could be moved to a relative's home. The chair was in a hallway alcove adjoining her office and was walled off on three sides by doors that were propped up against it. The space had housed a desk, file cabinet and telephone belonging to the town Conservation Commission. But last fall, Mrs. Verge said the School Department needed the space and the commission had to truck its gear across town to a Parks Department garage.
