Adams-Cheshire School Committee Sees Preliminary Budget
CHESHIRE, Mass. — The Adams-Cheshire Regional School District budget is down for fiscal 2017 — but only after slashing nearly $1 million, including a dozen positions.
Business Manager David Hinkell on Monday presented a $18,995,762 preliminary budget to the school committee Monday that represented a .58 percent decrease, or drop of $110,767, from this year's budget.
"We have had a lot of work going on behind the scenes ... It has been a very busy season," Hinkell said. "We have had some pretty intense workshops over the past few weeks."
This budget includes a $5,446,707 assessment to the town of Adams, which is a reduction of $74,763 from this year. Cheshire's assessment is $2,640,064, which is a $53,587 increase from this year. Both assessments include the debt exclusion from the Hoosac Valley High School renovation.
Hinkell explained that Cheshire's assessment does not have the drastic cut seen in Adams because when a district is above the state minimum spending requirement, a community's wealth and ability to fund the schools is taken into consideration and calculated by the state. Because Cheshire is considered the wealthier of the two communities, it provides more financial support relative to Adams.
When making cuts, Adams benefits more because it takes larger cuts to lower Cheshire's assessment substantially.
Committee member Darlene Rodowicz said this creates problems in the budget that can only be changed through legislation.
"Both towns are growing at different rates and that is what creates this hole," she said. "Cheshire relative to Adams ... is a wealthier community so therefore they technically have a higher increase in minimum contributions relative to Adams. Neither town is relatively comfy but relative to another, Cheshire looks healthier."
Hinkell added that if the preliminary budget is adopted, Adams-Cheshire will only be 8 percent above the minimal state requirement.
He explained that the district's main source of funding, Chapter 70, has once again not kept up with the district's needs and it is estimated it will receive $10,184,718. This is only a $35,290 increase.
"The Chapter 70 has been weak, and we have had to increase to towns' assessments every year until this particular year where we reached a point where the towns could no longer reach these increases," Hinkell said. "We had to reduce the budget."
He added that there is also a decrease of $142,882 in the state's reimbursement for transportation.
Hinkell explained that the .58 percent decrease came from a $208,432 cut from regular instruction, a $106,491 cut in instructional support, as well as minimal increases in special education instruction and maintenance.
He noted that the district also had to balance a $140,924 increase in operational services from an increase in health insurance.
The cuts go much deeper than the $110,767 and this version of the budget has already been through $800,000 in cuts, Hinkell said.
"This preliminary budget has had a number of adjustments … there are actually many preliminary budgets," he said. "This particular one is version 14."
These cuts include the elimination of 12.5 positions equaling $491,000. These positions include the newly hired technology director, curriculum director, and the elementary coordinator.
He said some of these administrators will be bumped down to teaching positions allowing the district to cut newer teachers.
The cuts also included the assistant business administrator, six teaching positions, a building secretary, and 1.5 paraprofessionals.
Hinkell said the rest of this $800,000 is filled out by a $113,000 reduction in health insurance as well as other adjustments.
The athletic department will face proposed cuts of $17,525. These include the strength and conditioning coach and assistant coach, the JV football coach, and the cross country ski coach.
Other proposed adjustments also show decreases in the substitute teacher, overtime, and summer custodial help line items.
Also, the Cheshire Elementary School Capital Maintenance budget would be reduced from $25,000 to $0. This means much needed roof repairs or replacement, sewer repairs, and electrical will not take place.
C.T. Plunkett will also have minimal repairs and will go another year without roof repairs, boiler room repairs, and front entrance repairs.
The School Committee made no comments about the proposed budget and decided to pick it up Thursday when members hope to vote on it.
"We will have another meeting Thursday this week with the intent of going over any remaining issues, clean up some slides, and answer any other questions or concerns about the budget," Chairman Paul Butler said. "That's where we are for now."
The school district struggled last year with a budget as well, cutting hundreds of thousands of dollars to bring its spending plan into a form the towns could handle.
Butler concluded the meeting by suggesting that the district hire an interim superintendent because of time constraints. Current Superintendent Kristen Gordon will leave her post at the end of the school year.
He suggested taking up a more serious search at the end of this school year and through the beginning of the next school year.
Adams-Cheshire Draft Budget for 2017
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