Adams-Cheshire Anticipating Difficult Budget Year
 The Adams-Cheshire Regional School District is hoping to explain the the difficult budget process to the community. |
ADAMS, Mass. — The Adams-Cheshire Regional School District is preparing for another tough budget year.
Business Manager David Hinkell reported to the School Committee on Monday night that he anticipates another difficult budget cycle.
Hinkell has been working through preliminary fiscal 2016 budget and, at the moment, there is an anticipated 4.7 percent increase. This includes the foundation budget and transportation budget.
Although this is an increase, he said it is below other school districts.
"It's an increase but below most of the districts," Hinkell said. "Others are running at least 5 or 6 percent and we are slightly below."
He said some of the biggest costs facing school districts in the coming year is universal 9 percent increases in insurance and electricity.
Adams-Cheshire, however, won't see a hike in electrical costs: The district signed a new three-year electricity contract that will drop prices from 11.8 cents per kilowatt to 11 cents.
Hinkell said the school district has one of the lowest electricity rates in the county.
"If we had to purchase the same amount of electricity directly from National Grid, we would have to spend 17 cents per kilowatt," he said. "So our costs are lower because we are going out to bid."
He said the solar array at Hoosac Valley High School also is a cost savings by providing 30 percent of the district's power.
Committee member Darlene Rodowicz said analytics are still being conducted, and the plan is to create a dialogue with the community after the holidays about the upcoming budget.
"It is going to be another difficult budget year that is going to require us to look at different options," she said.
Superintent Kristen Gordon recommended creating a report that lists unexpected costs that do not have money appropriated for them.
"The public doesn't like it when we cushion an area, and the staff doesn't, but ... it is just something we have to consider in next year's budget as our population becomes more demanding and our buildings get older," Gordon said.
She said already the district has to look at $32,000 in elevator maintenance and $10,000 in exit light replacements.
The school district is also responsible for paying for tutoring for students who can't be in the classroom.
"If you have a child who has anorexia and they have to go to the hospital, we have to pay the tutoring; if you have a child who is suspended for a period of time or expelled, we have to pick up the cost of the education," she said. "So when you ... go to look for pots of money to take that out of there are none."
Tags: ACRSD, fiscal 2016, school budget,
