Committee Approves Superintendent's Algonquin Budget, Institutes Activity Fee

After receiving more definitive figures from Deval Patrick's state budget, which was released at the end of last month, along with some careful whittling, Superintenent Charles Gobron proposed a recommended budget of $18,525,416 for FY2013, a 5.14 percent increase. The preliminary budget showed a 5.97 increase.

The Operating Budget Committee met in January and was able to reduce the budget by eliminating staffing that would have reduced staff size, saving $243,554. Other reductions included instructional materials and custodial contract services. New reductions in health insurance saved $49,658, and the mild winter allowed $10,000 to roll over from the FY2012 budget to FY2013.

In total, new recommended reductions that the Operating Budget Subcommittee came up with in February totaled $96,308.

Constricted by fiscal realities, as well as the absence of the once-present federal stimulus grant funding, increasing special education requirements, health insurance and salary increases as well as class size, Gobron wrestled with maintaining the notable quality of Algonquin Regional High School while finding ways to shave dollars off the bottom end.

In order to prevent additional reductions to personnel and programs, the budget recommends a $50 a year activity fee to be charged to all students (except for those who qualify for reduced lunch). The fees would bring in revenue of $50,000.

Many School Committee members have long been fundamentally opposed to adding activity fees as an option, and have resisted the move, but reluctantly voted in a budget that included the activity fee recommendation with the understanding that it is a "last resort."  

"I have a problem with fees in general," said committee member Susan Dargan. "We just keep on piling fees on people. I just really don’t like them; it seems like a disinvestment in public education. This is adding a cost to students and we want them all to take part in activities, but they don’t all participate. I find that a little bit of troubling. I don’t think $50 is a huge sum so I am sort of OK with it, but I hope it is a trend that does not continue."

Susan Sartori added that she was fearful that once the activity fee is instituted, it would likely stick."My daughters paid an athletic fee way back when, and they said it wouldn't last," she said, "and it's been going up. We have to be careful what we say to the public. I am in support of it because I don't see any other way of raising revenues, but I don't think it'll go away quickly." 

Gobron said that ideally, an overall budget increase of 10.42 percent is needed, but he could not realistically request it. It's been almost three years of level funding, while there are 50 more students in the system. Special education needs have increased, class size ratios have grown, health insurance has gone up, and, again, the federal grants are eliminated.

"We were so grateful to receive those but those are no longer available to us," said Gobron. "We wante to include, but did not, new staff positions that would have addressed the class size ratios."

Of note: in a budget history review of FY2003 to FY2012, the biggest increase was 12.42 percent in FY2007 and the smallest was 0.43 percent in FY2004.

Each town — Southborough and Northborough — pays a share of the operating budget of $18,525,416, and this figure is based on a confusing formula of both student population and a minimum requirement instituted by the state. Subtracting an assessment assumption of Chapter 70 money, interest income, and excess and deficiency, the amount assessed to the towns is $14,668,098. Confused yet?

It means that Northborough's contribution will be $8,100,321 and Southborough's is at $6,567,777. That's an increase of 3.61 percent for Northborough and 7.77 percent for Southborough.

There will be a public hearing on the budget on Wednesday, March 21, at Algonquin Regional High School's library, starting at 7 p.m. (as part of the Regional School Committee meeting).