The Old Rochester Regional school budget remained the subject of fiscal rhetoric on March 28 during a meeting of the Rochester Board of Selectmen, joined by the Finance Committee to discuss the town’s assessment and reluctant support for the school budget.
Rochester faces a 6.3% uptick – $203,000 more than FY16 – in its share of the ORR budget next fiscal year. Since the last selectmen’s meeting, Mattapoisett and Marion both approved their town budgets, which included their assessments for ORR. Now, Rochester must grapple with its challenge to fund its portion while trying to balance the town’s operating budget.
“Even if we don’t agree with [the ORR budget],” said Rochester Finance Committee Chairman Kristian Stoltenberg, “…it’s part of the regional agreement.”
Selectman Naida Parker expressed disappointment over her recent realization that the regional agreement would compel Rochester to foot its share of roughly $200,000 of an operational override to fund a five-year capital plan should the other two towns approve it.
Rochester would contribute $45,000 annually over the five years for the bond, which Stoltenberg said the town could handle with the imminent retiring of old debt as the town takes on the new debt.
Despite the additional financial burden, Stoltenberg urged selectmen to support the capital expenditure, which includes security upgrades to the entrance of ORR, as well as security cameras and a security system that would link the school with first responders in real time.
“It would behoove the town to at least be respectful of that desire to protect the kids in school,” said Stoltenberg, later adding, “I think we’d be on the wrong side of public opinion if we said we weren’t going to bond that.”
Selectmen Chairman Richard Nunes expressed little faith in the five-year capital plan ORR produced.
“I don’t have that comfort that there was due diligence … to build a true capital plan,” Nunes said. He asked, how do we know they won’t come back again with unanticipated capital expenses?
It was Parker’s turn to let off steam.
“It may be that this is a good plan, but I’m going to say that we are held hostage on the town level to the wants and needs of ORR,” she said, adding, “The schools suck every extra dime…. The town is the one that [is] left level-funding or decreasing budgets.”
But, “unfortunately,” said Town Administrator Michael McCue, Rochester is part of a Tri-Town school district.
“We are beholden to the majority in that agreement as to what is voted for a budget,” said McCue, “and we are looking at the $300 [thousand] … without any real option and it is frustrating….”
Selectmen and FinCom discussed strategy for future budget negotiations with ORR, starting with a stabilization funds for years when Rochester sees a spike in its ORR assessment.
Parker suggested giving ORR a number to work with and sticking with it, and FinCom member Tony Ruocco elaborated on that notion, suggesting the three towns offer a number, for example, $17 million plus contractual increases. Anything above that, ORR would have to “beg” for the money.
Maybe it’s time for Rochester to form its own junior high, Nunes suggested.
In other matters, selectmen approved the language for an updated public records request policy for citizens, codifying it for clarity of procedure.
McCue told selectmen that the Arbor Day Foundation has accepted Rochester as a Tree City U.S.A., after the town met the initial requirements such as the planting of trees and the observance of Arbor Day, which is this April 29.
McCue said residents should expect to see “Tree City U.S.A.” signs posted about town in the near future.
The next meeting of the Rochester Board of Selectmen is scheduled for April 4 at 6:30 pm at the Rochester Town Hall.
By Jean Perry