Some Concord Students May Lose Bus Service

On Monday night, the Concord School Board will consider a number of budget options attempting to trim $1 million in spending, including the elimination of bus service to nearly 300 elementary and middle school students.

The savings from such a decision – which would require students within 1.5 miles of an elementary or Rundlett Middle School to walk or find other transportation – is expected to save about $220,000 next year. Currently, the radius is one mile.

This change, however, could potentially increase the number of cars participating in the drop-off and pick-up process at the city’s elementary schools that is already a traffic nightmare. Many of the areas within the expanded radius also don’t have sidewalks, meaning that young children could be walking either on the side of many streets during commuting hours or in dirt or grass embankments.

The cost cutting measure and is part of an overall plan to limit the increase of the fiscal 2015-2016 budget to about $900,000, or 1.2 percent. The overall budget is expected to be around $75.1 million, according to online documents.

The shifting of spending and limited increase are being put together because the district is losing about $240,000 in state funding due to declining enrollments. Declining enrollments and lower state funding also caused the layoff of 13 FTE teaching positions last year. The district also has to come up with an additional $463,000 to offset this year’s pension liability for retirees. Healthcare costs are also increasing by $842,000.

At the same time, property tax rates are at historical highs and the school district’s debt, while dropping, is $5.6 million in debt service, principal, and interest payments, due mostly to the annual payment for three new elementary schools that cost $90.8 million, leaving little flexibility to the tax rate after state funding shifts.

One of the promotional highlights of consolidating the elementary schools was savings on utilities and energy. However, due to electricity and steam rates increasing, energy costs are going up by $125,000 over last year.

Local revenue sources will increase by about $1.7 million with some of that offset by an increase in federal and other revenue sources.

The budget includes an increase of nearly 3 percent for regular education programs while the special education line item is cut by about 2.3 percent. Bilingual education funding increases year over year by more than $157,000 while adult and continuing education programs see about $41,000 in cuts. Speech and audiology services are also being cut by about $140,000.

Other potential cost cutting opportunities, which amount to about $1 million, include staff reductions of about $150,000; $66,000 in outside professional services; $363,000 in professional services reduction; and an end to the contract with the Capitol Center for the Arts, which saves about $10,000.

Students who support having their concerts at the Capitol Center have put together a petition asking the school board to reconsider the decision to cut the contract. As of Saturday, the group had 242 signatures out of a goal of 500, according to Change.org.

The final budget hearing and vote will be held at the district office on Liberty Street at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, March 30.