2023-01-26-AC-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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01/26/2023 AC Minutes 2 Housing Authority. The gap between the requested school budget and the amount allocated to that budget was cut in half from the previous figure of $710,000. Since the Superintendent has indicated that the need for increased funding for special education is of particular concern, the preliminary budget now proposes that $500,000 to be put into the SPED Stabilization Fund and that $750,000 in available funds be put into a to-be-created Special Education Reserve Fund. The latter fund is permitted by the Municipal Modernization Act. Appropriations into the fund would need to be voted by town meeting, but use of the fund for special education expenses would need to be approved by only the School Committee and Select Board. Any balance left in the Fund at the end of a fiscal year would carry over to the next year. The $750,000 in available funds, i.e., free cash, was previously intended to be used to fund capital expenses. Ms. Kosnoff further noted that $2.6 million flowed to free cash this past fall because the schools did not fully expend previously received circuit breaker funds by a specified deadline, and that it was best to use most of the $2.6 million to support FY 2024 capital expenses and thereby reduce future debt service expenses. Ms. Kosnoff stated that the schools face a number of financial challenges over the next few years including the current year. First, the teachers’ union contract has not been settled. Second, the schools are seeking a way to increase the elementary school week from 4.5 to 5 days per week. There are federal ESSER funds available to do this now, but those funds, coming as a one-time grant, would not be available to pay the increased expenses in future years. Furthermore, many teachers value the half day per week off from teaching and use it to prepare lesson plans, etc. Third, the schools filled 25 new positions so far in the current fiscal year primarily to serve newly arrived special education students – this increase was not planned and affects both the school budget and the shared expenses benefits budget. Fourth, the proposed school budget assumes a rather high amount for salary differentials, i.e., for the decreases in salaries when teachers at the top of the salary ladder retire and are replaced by teachers new to the system. Mr. Bartenstein pointed out that if the operating budgets increase much faster than expected then it may become necessary to reconsider the policy for putting tax revenue into the Capital Stabilization Fund. Ms. Kosnoff agreed and added that if such increases are necessary then all of the set-asides will need to be reviewed. Ms. Kosnoff recommended that the Committee invite school representatives to a meeting to hear their perspective on the proposed budget. In response to a question from Mr. Bartenstein in regard to which bargaining units do not have contracts in place, it was stated that those units include the employees of the Fire Department and Library in addition to the teachers. Warrant Articles for the 2023 Annual Town Meeting Further discussion on this agenda item was postponed to the next meeting. Meeting Schedule Mr. Parker has scheduled AC meetings for each Thursday in February and March. The current authorization to conduct meetings solely on-line expires on March 31. The annual town meeting will be conducted in person. Mr. Parker stated that AC meeting will be all virtual until March 31 and fully in person after that. Mr. Padaki said that the capability to conduct hybrid meetings should be available to accommodate AC members who are ill or on travel and not able to be present at in- person meetings. Mr. Parker noted that the AC report to the annual town meeting should be approved by March 9 and published on March 13 in order to be ready for the start of the annual town meeting on March 20.