Budget, 2008-09

[Tom]

Jan. 29: Superintendent's preliminary recommendation
Supt. Lincoln Lynch is recommending a $31.9 million budget for the 2008-09 school year, a 6-percent increase.

A school committee vote to set a tentative budget could come during Wednesday night's (Jan. 30) meeting.

The $1,850,000 increase he recommends provides for a continuation of the existing level of services, Lynch said. Salary expenditures -- 80 percent of the total budget -- would rise by 4.8 percent to $25.4 million, including room for a modest increase in a new contract to be negotiated with teachers.

A new school bus contract and expected higher special education costs would account for most of the rest of the increase.

He's also recommending more money for supplies to end the "lists" -- notes sent home by teachers suggesting what basic supplies a family should provide. A list can add up to as much as $50 for one child, he said. Families also face fees for the bus, parking and sports, he noted, arrangements that are to an extent voluntary. But requiring families to pay for essentials like pencils and paper flies in the face of a constitutional free public education, he said.

Lynch noted that for the current school year, his first as Walpole superintendent, he was able to use carry-over money to add staff. While his budget maintains those positions, there's no longer residual cash for new staff. But there are still a lot of expectations: for the music program, all-day kindergarten, reduction in the number of study periods..., he said.

Lynch's budget assumes that Governor Patrick's proposed million-dollar increase in education for Walpole will happen. But he notes that the additional education money goes into the overall town budget, not directly to the schools.

As of now, the overall budget being prepared by the town administrator would provide only a $750,000 increase for the schools next year, Lynch said. While Patrick would increase state aid for schools, the governor's budget would cut money for the municipal side.

Lynch said that if the schools were provided the increased state education aid and their usual two-thirds of prison mitigation money, the million-dollar difference would disappear. That's not likely, he conceded, but "it's too early to panic."

Whatever the school committee votes now, the budget will continue to evolve right up to the May Town Meeting as new information becomes available, he noted. The school committee, selectmen and finance committee will meet together Feb. 13 to talk over the numbers.


-- Tom Glynn

[Tom]

Acknowledging that the amount might have to be reduced, the school committee has voted for a 2008-09 budget that calls for $1.4 million more than members expect the town administrator to recommend next week.

In the hope of adding several new posts, the committee voted unanimously Wednesday night for a $32.2 million budget, up 7 percent from this year and $256,000 more than the superintendent's preliminary level-service numbers.

The higher amount was voted after the committee discussed a report from Supt. Lincoln Lynch that outlined what parents, teachers and administrators say are the most needed new positions. Adding those 12 posts would cost $575,000, Lynch estimated.

Committee members agreed obtaining money for a dozen new teachers would be unlikely and voted to pursue funding that could add five or six.

Noting Town Administrator Michael Boynton's overall budget that he will present Monday night and questions about state aid, Chairman Nancy Gallivan indicated the $32 million plan might have to be reduced before May Town Meeting.

"You can always come down; you can't go back up," Lynch said, agreeing with the committee's approach.

On the list are a math/science coordinator, two media specialists and two reading teachers for the elementary schools, middle school health, technology and math support, an English/social studies and two music teachers for the high school and a preschool post. Which will be pursued is yet to be decided.

Several parents went to Wednesday night's meeting to ask that the music program be restored to its 2005 level. Families would be willing to contribute toward the cost, one parent said.

[Tom]

Town Administrator Michael Boynton's preliminary FY 2009 budget sees a $2.2 million increase in spending -- 3.4 percent -- to $63 million.

It would provide $1.4 million less than the school committee seeks -- a situation that Boynton said is likely to mean layoffs. Text of message (http://www.walpolenews.com/message.html)

Boynton's budget plan for the 12 months beginning July 1, 2008, would cut $40,000 by eliminating the part-time economic development officer post. In their remarks after Boynton's budget presentation Monday night, selectmen Chairman Al DeNapoli and vice chairman Michael Caron said they want that decision reviewed. Under the Town Charter, it's the town administrator who submits the annual budget to the May Town Meeting, which makes the final decisions.

Boynton estimates that half of the additional FY '09 revenue has to go to cover unavoidable increases, like insurance. He splits the other $1.1 million between the schools and municipal services by the usual 2-1. His split would give the schools a $30.9 million budget, up 2.6 percent. Last week, the school committee voted for a $32.2 million budget, a 7 percent increase. In a question and comments period after Boynton presented his budget, school committee vice chairman John Desmond asked about the town's stabilization fund, just over $1 million.

Citing long downtown vacancies, Boynton said the economic officer post, held by Don Walsh for the past two years, has not brought the hoped-for results.

The need to save $40,000 is pressing, Boynton said. Elsewhere his budget plan calls for the library to take a $35,000 cut and recreation, $25,000. Care will have to be taken to make sure that the library's tentative state grant toward a new building is not jeopardized by the reduction, he said.

The recreation cut is to be made up by fees. Agreeing with Boynton on the economic officer post, Selectman Cathy Winston lamented a potential $300 fee at the town pool. "We used to be top-notch on recreation," she said.

On the plus side, Boynton noted that Governor Patrick's proposed FY 09 budget includes $750,000 in prison mitigation money for Walpole. During the Romney administration, the money was added by legislators, who then had to override the governor's veto.

During the comment period Monday night, Finance Committee Chairman Tom Jalkut observed that in past years, the town ended up considerably better off than predicted in Boynton's annual budget addresses. Citing a number of factors, Boynton responded that might not be the case for FY 09.