Stamford Reduces Town Budget, OK's School Spending
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They were successful with reducing the town budget at Monday night's annual Town Meeting but backed off cuts to the school budget when they realized the target of their anger — the Windham Southwest Supervisory Union — wouldn't feel the financial pain.
The reduction in the town's highway and operating budget was minimal — about $6,000 from a budget of $528,534. The difference was far greater in the $1.7 million school budget, which would have forced the School Committee to cut $123,000 from its budget.
 Town Clerk Nancy Bushika, left, Moderator William Levine and School Committee Chairwoman Cynthia Lamore look over articles on the school warning. Top: School directors Janice Farinon, left, Lisa Gordon, Debra Burchard and Jeremy Sullivan-Bol. |
The school directors had fought to keep the supervisory union's budget from ballooning, she said, and it had been even higher at the beginning at the budget season. Since the school district is assessed by the supervisory union, any reductions to the budget would be taken out of the elementary school.
"I cannot at this juncture do anything about the WSSU board," said Lamore.
The supervisory union covers seven schools in six towns.
Heidi Peterson, who had moved to amend both the town and school budgets to hold increases to 5 percent, said costs had to be brought under control. "This is not something the town can bear."
The tax rate is expected to jump from $1.51 per $100 evaluation to $1.91. That had voters searching for ways to cut back, but ideas ranging from replacing teachers with less-expensive ones to curtailing options for high school students to slicing out the WSSU assessment ran afoul of state laws and negotiated contracts.
The motion to limit the budget to a 5 percent increase passed but the article ran into trouble on a voice vote that seemed barely to pass it. Susan Bohl called for a restatement of the question; Moderator William Levine explained a yes vote passed the budget with the restriction, a no vote meant "you will have defeated the school budget."
That gave the still large crowd in the school's gymnasium pause.
Peterson suggested that "if every town turned down their school budget, the WSSU would get the message." However, Robert Bence moved to restore the original language to the article and the budget was passed, if grudgingly, with no cuts.
Still, said Barbara Barlow, "we need to make a statement to the supervisory union as taxpayers." Lamore said legislation, touched on by state Rep. John Moran earlier in the meeting, could expand the supervisory unions as a way to reduce costs.
It could come at a price: "They will take more control away and you won't have the option of sitting here at a town meeting and really going over our school budget with a panel," Lamore said, "somebody will come down here and tell you and that will be it."
 There was a good crowd for Town Meeting at Stamford School on Monday night. About two-thirds of the voters stayed for the following school meeting. |
Voters also reduced the amount of money sought for a new plow and sanding truck from $160,000 to up to $100,000. Select Board Chairwoman Sheila Lawrence said it was time to replace the town's 22-year-old Mack truck. When asked his opinion, Retired Road Commissioner John Tatro — longtime driver of the vehicle — agreed it need minor repairs but "it's still running ... it'd be smart to keep it going."
(The Town Report was dedicated to Tatro, who retired last fall, and included a poem the Select Board thought showed the devotion of the former commissioner and his Mack.)
Voters rejected articles for $525 for Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice of Vt. and N.H., saying the money would be better spent at VNA & Hospice of Northern Berkshire, which covers Stamford; and $500 for The Tutorial Center. It approved all other articles, including $15,000 for a new town garage heating system and $31,950 for the support of the volunteer fire department.
A 5 percent hike limit had been raised for the Fire Department as well, but rejected. The fire company "is a town's first defense in any emergency," trustees President Janice Farinon reminded voters.
In Tuesday's election, the only contested race for the Stamford School Directors. Lisa Gordon defeated Nathan Tatro, 88-58.
Newly elected to the Select Board were Peter F. Basel, 117 votes, for a three-year term, and John Tatro, 135 votes, for a two-year term.
Elected unopposed were Jeremy Sullivan-Bol, school board, 125 votes; William Levine, town moderator, 152 votes, and school moderator, 150 votes; Sally Bohl, lister, 134, delinquent tax collector, 136, and cemetery commissioner; 138; Sheila Pecor, cemetery commissioner, 135; Amy M. Senecal, library trustee, 145, and Carol A. Ethier-Kipp, library trustee, 151.
