Mattapoisett’s Finance Committee continued their budgetary journey on February 13 when they met with school superintendent Doug White and members of the Old Rochester Regional School District Committee as well as the Mattapoisett School Committee. 

            White framed the conversation by stating that the voluminous reports before the FinCom were only “draft” budgets and that further drilling down and pencil-sharpening would be taking place before a final set of documents could be submitted. He said that public hearings on the budget would take place in March.

            White indicated that there was uncertainty regarding state funding percentages and that, “…we don’t have the same revenue sources as we’ve had in previous years.”

            In the draft budget for ORR Schools, White said that increases in compensation to coaches had been overdue and had been a struggle to fund. But he noted that retirements and a shift in how the school resource officer position will be paid helped the bottom line. An agreement to share expenses related to the school resource officer spreading the expense across the tri-towns is now in place. Previously, Mattapoisett carried the entire cost because the school is located in the community. 

            On the matter of capital needs, White said that the district needed to build capital reserves. FinCom Chairman Pat Donoghue questioned this point saying, “We don’t even know what the needs are.” She said people have been asking about the schools’ needs but that the school committee had yet to provide clarity.

            White said, “There is no funding mechanism to fund it… there’s a plan out there… until we get a regional agreement, we can’t get anything done.”

            ORR District School Committee member Tina Rood said that it has been a struggle to get the three towns to sit down and draft a new tri-town agreement, concurring with White that until that happened capital needs could not be considered.

            FinCom member Colby Rottler said, “We have not done our job putting money aside,” speaking of the town’s responsibly to provide adequate funding for capital needs for both the district and local schools. But he said a list of capital needs drafted by those institutions was critical in order to advise voters at town meeting what the capital expenses are and gaining support for funding. Rottler told the school representatives, “You need an engineer to look at it to make it credible to the towns.” He said fact-based study takes “special interests” out of the mix and that “…just a plan with a bunch of numbers on it” would not satisfy the public’s need for qualified data. Rottler said, “You need to be in our face,” with data and financial details.

            The FY21 ORR District assessment summary showed Mattapoisett’s portion at approximately $6 million, Marion $5 million and Rochester $5 million for a total of $16 million versus FY20 at $14.8 million. ORR draft budget total for FY21 is $19.7 million versus FY20 $19.2 million.

            Mattapoisett local school budgets were also discussed. Present was school principal Rose Bowman who provided additional insights. 

            Bowman said that a plan to consolidate classrooms would continue. The 2020-21 school year will find both Center School and Old Hammondtown School with three classes for each grade level from grades 1 through 6. Of those classes, she noted none would have more than 22 students. 

            The local schools’ FY21 budget draft proposes an overall total of $7.3 million versus FY20 which was $6.9 million.

            Also coming before the Finance Committee was Henri Renauld, superintendent of the Water and Sewer departments. Renauld explained that the enterprise accounts would be experiencing a reduction in revenues by approximately 8 percent, prompting the need to increase water rates by $5 per household per month, and to explore once again expanding sewer lines north of Route 6 on North Street to the Route 195 overpass and in the Pico Beach neighborhood. He said letters would be mailed to impacted residents next week.

            Of the water rates, he pointed out some additional costs in electrical expenses due to a new well and increases in payroll from overtime and longevity. While he said that growth in the community would contribute to revenues, operating increases for both departments were expected. Overall increases anticipated are Sewer Department $14,839 and Water Department $79,906, of which $40,603 represents a 7.88-percent increase in salaries. Renauld said, of the $40,603 sum, $14,410 represented salary increases from contracts, “…plus first-time charge for longevity and contracted benefits.” 

            Some board members seemed a bit stunned by the salary figures, prompting Renauld to state, “I don’t negotiate contracts, the Board of Selectmen do.”

            Renauld spoke to the heavy costs associated with the licenses most of his staff are required to maintain. He said that line item will increase by $6,000 in FY21 to $21,000. Also mentioned was a projected line-item expense of $44,652, Mattapoisett’s share of operating costs for the Mattapoisett River Valley Water District. 

            Director of Inspectional Services Andy Bobola also met with FinCom. He told the board that for the first time in several years revenues showed a slowing trend between calendar year 2015 and 2019. He reported that in 2015 fees for building permits were $157,669 with another $90,370 for plumbing, gas and electrical permits for a total of $248,039 versus 2019 In which $128,537 in building permits and another $60,801 for plumbing, gas, and electrical totaled $189,338. Smoothing out that contrast, however, Bobola said that “January 2020 was an outstanding month,” with over $69,000 in fees for that singular time period. He added to the bright growth picture by saying that build-out at the Bay Club subdivision is projected with 16 duplexes and 11 single-family homes planned.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Finance Committee had not been posted as of press time.

Mattapoisett Finance Committee

By Marilou Newell