With a total of $22.5 million to work with on this year’s school budget, there is now a balance of $840,000.
About $9.3 million has been spent and $12.3 million is encumbered. Encumbered funds describe assets that are subject to one or more liens. That is, encumbered securities belonging to one person or entity but are subject to a claim by another. Encumbered securities or assets may not be sold until the lien or debt on them is satisfied. Encumbered lien items include equipment maintenance and supplies for custodial staff.
Half of the balance will be spent on tuition liens, and another $100,000 will be spent on special education transportation.
“Needless to say, special education tuitions and transportation are variables that are moving up and down, mostly up, so it’s not unusual to have that amount of money yet to be identified,” said Barry Nectow, director of operations and finance at Norton Public Schools. “I’m quite certain that will be spent by perhaps even the end of the year.”
Other items that will be watched as the year progresses are building projects and substitutes,
heating and snow removal.
“We are on target to save a little money, but that’s not reflected here,” Nectow said.
The schools have only had to be plowed and sanded twice this year, due to the mild winter weather.
“I feel like we’re in great shape, budget-wise, to spend right down to our budget by the end of the year if everything sort of stays on target and there aren’t any surprises in the usual suspect liens that I mentioned,” Nectow said.
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