Schools
Region 15 Board Accepts 0% Budget Increase
A 0% budget proposal was accepted by the Board of Education at their regular meeting Monday night
The Region 15 Board of Education accepted Superintendant Frank Sippy’s proposed budget of $60,251,578, a 0% increase at a regular meeting Monday night at Pomperaug High School.
The total cost to the region’s two towns is $60,022,578. Middlebury owes $17,964,315 with state aid cost-sharing of $713,571. Southbury is responsible for $38,948,528 with state aid cost-sharing of $2,396,164.
The mil rate in Southbury is 21.5 and Middlebury is 23.37. The effect on the mil rate was not determined.
Additional revenue from the Jobs Bill of $181,000 creates two elementary classroom intervention teachers. They would remediate the needs of children experiencing academic difficulty.
Increases to costs were offset by $1,489,142; $326,224 in staff reductions, $131,469 in associated insurance reductions and $125,000 in supplies savings, $688,000 of which will not be available next year.
The financial offsets of $1,489,142 are a sum of the decreased insurance premiums, refinancing of debt structure and debt reduction. The capital budget was reduced by $100,000 by using the operations account to facilitate any repairs and a capital reserve fund. Decreased spending on textbooks, unemployment compensation, overtime and gas all contributed towards the financial offsets, Region 15 officials said.
The total number included $400,000 in interest savings from bond restructuring presented by Sippy in February. With the $466,775 interest savings, the total is $1,555,917.
The $326,224 stems from enrollment from Southbury decreasing faster than it increases in Middlebury. There are 102 fewer students this year than last and an anticipated 30 to 40 fewer students next year. This declining trend has been occurring since 2008 and should continue until 2015, officials say.
This decrease in student body allows for three fewer elementary teachers, 2.5 fewer secondary positions, one classified position at Memorial Middle School, one technician and one personnel position district wide. Class sizes would increase by no more than one student to teacher and remain within the Board’s class size guidelines.
Region 15 Treasurer Joseph J. Rock of Middlebury said the 2012 budget would preserve the Region 15 program.
“It will make middle school World Language programs, support the K-12 Language Arts program, have a minimum staff reduction, expand online course participation, address secondary school reform, support IT acquisition and still stay affordable,” said Rock.
