2023-03-02-AC-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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03/02/2023 AC Minutes 3 according to the usual revenue allocation ratio. Ms. Kosnoff also reported that the bids to the Brookline Consortium for purchasing gasoline and diesel fuel came in lower than projected by about $75,000. The recommended budget has been revised to incorporate the new fuel price infor- mation. Both Ms. Kosnoff and Dr. Hackett explained that most of Lexington’s Chapter 70 aid increase is not part of a broad state-wide increase but is due to factors specific to Lexington. They agreed that the reasons for the increase are complicated. At a high level, Lexington’s public school enrollment went up from last year to this year after several years of decline, and the foundation budget criteria rose faster than certain other factors. Ms. Kosnoff said that the additional state aid will affect one program in the capital projects budget, i.e., the $395,000 in free cash that is no longer needed to balance the municipal operating budget will be used to reduce the amount that needs to be borrowed to finance the Bedford. St./Hartwell Ave. transportation article. LPS Budget Mr. Parker circulated a copy of a message from Mr. Coelho in which he and the Superintendent re- sponded to some questions about the school budget raised by Mr. Levine. Mr. Levine stated that the only full school budget document that is presently available is the Jan. 3, 2023, Superintendent’s recommended budget. The total school budget was revised upward by $358,000 in mid-January and just yesterday by an additional $1.7 million. He asked whether there has been any discussion about how to use the $1.7 million. Mr. Coelho said that the news of the in- crease was so recent that there has not been time yet for those discussions. He further said that the school budget books for town meeting have been printed with a planned release date of March 6. Those books will be distributed as planned. An addendum with the planned budget changes will be circulated later. Mr. Levine noted that the AC report would likely need to be wrapped up before there are decisions on the details of the school budget. Mr. Bartenstein then asked if the financial articles could or would be put off until the second week of town meeting. There are only a few of the financial articles that are affected by the budget revisions. The Moderator will meet to discuss the town meeting schedule next week. Dr. Hackett answered a question about how the additional $1.7 million might be used by saying that extra funding might help resolve ongoing bargaining unit negotiations, and it is likely that new posi- tions will be put into the budget to help satisfy ongoing needs that were not adequately addressed in the pre-increase budget. For example, more counseling is needed now, i.e., post COVID, especially in the two larger elementary schools, Hastings and Estabrook. Funding is also needed for related curriculum changes in the area of social/emotional learning. In response to a question about whether the higher budget might allow for an elementary world language program, Dr. Hackett said that the elementary students are in school four and half days a week and that going to a five school- day week would be needed to institute a world language program. The teachers work five full days a week, but don’t want to consider having the students in school for the full five days at this time for a number of reasons, so this doesn’t look like the time to start a new language program. LPS received “extraordinary” federal aid in the form of ESSER I, II, and III. ESSER I and II were under the umbrella of the CARES act, and ESSER III is under that of the ARPA legislation. The ESSER II funds need to be used within the next six months, and the ESSER III funds need to be used by the end of 2024 although they must be committed by September, 2024.