As the Mattapoisett Finance Committee works toward finalizing the Town’s fiscal year 2019 budget for the May 14 Annual Town Meeting, Town Administrator Michael Gagne along with members of the FinCom met with local school administrators on April 12.
Seated at the conference table to discuss and explain the working fiscal spreadsheets were Old Rochester Regional School District Superintendent Doug White, ORR Business Director Patrick Spencer, and Mattapoisett School Committee member James Muse. Also present was Principal Rose Bowman.
Gagne began by pointing out that all parties had been working diligently with Spencer to achieve a budget proposal saying, “We’ve worked on several budget variations … taking into consideration enrollments … and the need for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math).”
Spencer went on to say that two classes in the Mattapoisett School District would be eliminated based on declining enrollment. He said that average class sizes for kindergarten through Grade 6 would be between 16 and 21 students per class after eliminating the two classes. Total FY19 decreases from class consolidations equaled $53,726.
Bowman said the instrumental music instructor for Old Hammondtown School would not be returning in the fall, giving the administration an opportunity to hire a teacher with less time in grade for a lower salary equaling a decrease of $22,136. She also said the schools needed two nurses at all times throughout the day, increasing that line item by $30,606.
And there were other increases that nibbled away at proposed savings.
White said, “We’ve spent a lot of time on English and Math…. We now need a jump start on STEM exposure.” He said that a STEM coach “will work directly with the teachers and the students.”
Bowman added, “The new standards require spending more time developing units and there is an excessive amount of materials with labs…. This coach will co-teach Grades K-5 with a whole new focus which is critically important.”
Finance Committee Chairman Pat Donoghue interjected, “I’ve talked about reducing teachers; you’re adding STEM and nurses…. It seems like the reductions are at the lowest pay levels.”
Spencer responded, “There are no retirements planned.… The reduction in teachers is coming from those with less then three years.”
Donoghue said, “I thought we’d save on salary … this is not what I expected to see.”
“This is a negotiation year,” said White. “You’ve got to give us leeway to negotiate.”
Gagne cautioned, “Once Town Meeting votes, they (the schools) are going to be locked in; everything will be set,” adding that he advised the school budget committee to build in a buffer for union salary negotiations.
Regarding early education funding, White said, “Betsy DeVos (U.S. Secretary of Education) is looking to move all those funds and send them to private education (charter schools).”
Circling back to the question of declining enrollment, Gagne said, “I’ve been given an initiative by the selectmen to look at space needs. We’ll set aside funding to look at enrollment trends and space needs.”
He said a drill-down on whether the town needed one school or two was necessary before consideration of building a new town hall.
“We need to definitively answer that question,” Gagne said, adding that it would be three or four years before the Town would be ready to make a final decision, and that retiring debts ending between 2024 to 2026 are needed for any conversation about construction needs, “So we can’t get too far ahead. It gives us time to look at enrollment trends and predications.”
The proposed local school budget shows a 1.1% or $76,785 increase over FY18 that stood at $6,917,439. FY19 is pegged at $6,994,224.
The FinCom also reviewed the FY19 Capital Items list that contains 19 possible expenditures, including new heavy equipment for the Highway Department and needs of the Fire Department.
No. 1 priority is $260,000 to design, engineer, and gather project estimates for a new fire station. No. 2 on the list is $27,000 for new bulletproof vests. Gagne said a matching state grant would allow the Police Department to buy these essential safety items.
Further down on the list is $91,000 for two new police cruises, $125,000 for improvements to the town barn, and $60,000 for technology upgrades to local schools.
The work of the Finance Committee rests now in tidying up the FY19 budget proposal for the May 14 Town Meeting.
The Mattapoisett Finance Committee will meet again on April 19 at 6:30 pm in the town hall conference room.
Mattapoisett Finance Committee
By Marilou Newell