School Committe to Ask for 1.6 Percent Tax Increase

Hoping to preserve the integrity of the district’s programs and offset about half of a $1.2 million budget shortfall, the School Committee will request a 1.61 percent tax levy increase during its meeting with the Town Council on Monday, Feb. 14.

In a unanimous decision, committee members voted to amend Superintendent Kristen Stringfellow’s budget, which called for a two percent tax levy increase, and instead pull additional money from the district’s rainy-day undesignated fund. This change will save taxpayers $188,030 next year, but keep Stringfellow’s bottom line of $58,898,306 intact.

Stringfellow encouraged committee members to follow through on their promises of starting a discussion of school consolidation once the budget process is finalized. She said if the committee is willing to take more than sustainable 25 percent appropriation from the district’s $2.35 million contingency fund, it would need to replace revenues in the following fiscal year by incurring additional savings with a building closure.

“It’s better than the 40 percent they discussed,” she said after the meeting. “It’s important to keep the fund balance up, and you will always see me advocating to make sure we do not deplete our rainy day fund.”

Committee members unanimously agreed a 33 percent take from the undesignated fund balance, coupled with the tax levy and a difficult $650,000 in cuts throughout the district, was the best available solution for students and taxpayers moving into next year.

To make up for the remaining $640,000 shortfall, Stringfellow identified $150,000 in transportation savings for next year and she will reduce the number of days that teacher assistants work at the Hazard Preschool from five to four days, incurring a $16,000 savings. A school nurse position will be eliminated, saving $70,000 in salary and benefits and supplies to the mentoring program and other accounts will be cut in the amount of $30,000.

Two full-time positions will but cut for $140,000 in salary and benefit savings, and up to eight teacher assistants and clerks, earning $30,000 per year, can be cut to the tune of $240,000 in savings. She also hopes to save about $58,000 in eliminating an administrative position. These added savings will also cover the cost of unemployment the district will need to incur from cutting positions.

“Each of the items indicated here are cherished by our teachers and principals and make up such an important part of our education system,” Stringfellow said.

While committee members said they resented the cuts, all agreed they would be the least detrimental to student learning.

Discussion heated up as members contemplated the possibility that the Town Council could refuse to increase the tax levy for a third fiscal year.

“I will pose the question, as this is a process, what happens when the budget comes back and we don’t get what we asked for,” Committeeman Richard Angeli asked his peers.

“When we came out of elections a lot of discussion was focused around school consolidation as an election issue and as I said, I agree with unanimity, but I am willing to say that people who ran on that issue need to put their money where their mouth is,” Angeli added. “If this comes back, then for me the consolidation issue is still on table and it should be for others as well.”

“I would say that another piece of someone’s campaign was looking for community input,” responded committee member Raissa Mosher. “And I go on to say that the person who talked about looking for community input should make sure we get what the community values.”

“We just don’t know what the future is going to bring and I think as committee we are saying that this is what we value and support,” said committee member Kevin Jackson, cooling the contention. “Things could change tomorrow and we will have to deal with that. I don’t know what tomorrow will bring, but I am very comfortable with this budget as it is today.”

Other Committee Business

The committee unanimously voted to award the five-year transportation bid to Ocean State Transportation in the amount of $15.6 million. The contract will save the district just over $100,000 during the next fiscal year.

The committee also unanimously decided to award the bid for facilitator training and support to Ruth Galluci for the amount of $70 per hour for 120 – 150 hours.

Following the recommendation of Mary Kelley, assistant superintendent, the committee voted to approve the $30,025 contract with East Bay Collaborative to handle the refurbishment of science kits for elementary and middle school students.