The Old Rochester School Committee held its FY25 Budget Public Hearing on March 28 and voted unanimously to approve the budget for recommendation to voters at the three town meetings to be held in of Marion, Mattapoisett and Rochester all on the same night of Monday, May 13.
The proposed FY25 operations budget of $21,663,474 represents a $693,178 increase over the FY24 figure of $20,970,216.
After Superintendent of Schools Mike Nelson explained how the budget process begins with an assessment of needs and is then refined by processes that are governed by the state and at the same time beholden to fiscal responsibility to the three member towns, Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations Howard Barber explained the mechanics and part of the budget process.
Barber gave examples of grants and other special revenues, along with general funds, long-term bonds, short-term bond-anticipation notes and capital stabilization.
Funding offsets topping $1,000,000 (grants and other special revenues) apply $580,000 to ORR’s Central Office, $281,221 to the high school, $167,934 to the junior high school and $10,000 to facilities. More than half of this revenue ($580,000) is generated by ORR’s status as a School Choice district.
A major driver in the FY25 budgeting process was a new contract with the Amaral bus company, which won the bid to continue as the transportation company of choice on a town-by-town basis.
After holding steady with year-by-year extensions of an existing contract, the new deal drastically increases the cost of busing students from $768,000 annually to $893,120, an increase of $125,120 in one year.
Barber also pointed out in his presentation that Chapter 70 state aid ($3,496,795) only increased by approximately $30,000 over FY24, slightly less than 1%.
Nelson publicly thanked Barber for his work in laying out the budget in layman’s terms. He also recognized the subcommittees and town government officials for their work in assisting the process.
Committee Chairperson Michelle Smith said Barber’s work has helped her understand the challenge and the process. Members April Nye, Jim Muse and Joe Pires added their thanks.
Member Matthew Monteiro said for the public’s benefit that the expenditures do not represent what the committee wants but rather an act of “paying our bills.”
Pires asked Barber what the town representatives’ feedback has been given their own budget challenges. Barber said all three towns have offered feedback indicating agreement in the ORR budgeting plan and the intent to approve and recommend to town voters at Town Meeting.
In other business, the committee voted to accept a $1,000 donation from Cape Cod Five for the annual Credit for Life event.
The committee also voted to recommend the three member towns share $12,000,000 in new debt to participate with ORR’s long-term facility-upgrade goals. Barber explained that debt is coming off the books in February 2025, and now would be the opportune time to begin committing money to capital projects facing the school beginning with a massive upgrade to the HVAC system. The district also lists security in the highest priority; that will take the form of the replacement of 60 exterior doors and a new public-address system that will join the junior and senior high school buildings.
Nye explained from her subcommittee work that the main committee’s vote would essentially authorize the towns to vote to appropriate ORR funds for these purposes.
In light of budget challenges in each of the towns, Pires recommended that the committee not vote on the matter.
Nye read the motion on the table to appropriate the funds as planned. Pires’ was the only dissenting vote.
The next meeting of the ORR School Committee is scheduled for Thursday, April 11, at 6:30 pm at the Junior High Media Room and remotely via Zoom.
ORR School Committee
By Mick Colageo