NMRSC OKs $41.5M FY08 budget
By Sean Sweeney Journal Correspondent

The North Middlesex Regional School Committee unanimously adopted the district's $41.5 million fiscal year 2008 budget on Monday night which, if ratified by the three towns at the May town meetings and contains anticipated finances from the state, would keep all current services as well as implement several new programs.

The 19-page budget includes operating expenses of $38.5 million for the district's seven schools stretched across Ashby, Townsend and Pepperell, the Central Office in Townsend, as well as nearly $3 million for the transportation of students.

Overall, the budget is an increase of 7.9 percent over last fiscal year, which rounds out to a $3.02 million increase.

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Maureen M. Marshall outlined the district's budget goals as well as the "worst case scenario" should state money - including Chapter 70 and 71 monies - not be as large as expected during a 70-minute PowerPoint presentation at the high school.

"Our hope and concern is that we are going to provide our students with the best opportunities possible, but we need to work closely with our towns. They have financial burdens they need to contend with, and so hopefully working together in a collaborative, positive process will be the watch word for North Middlesex," Marshall said.

A good deal of the funding for the budget is expected to come from the state - approximately $19.3 million - but the remainder of the check will be picked up by Ashby, Townsend and Pepperell. Marshall said that at least $15.6 million is the total Minimum Local Contribution for the three municipalities.

Ashby, which provides the district with 12.1 percent of its total enrollment, would be asked to provide $2,071,170 of the MLC, while Townsend's (39.6 percent) share is $6,399,258. Pepperell, with 48.3 percent of the district's enrollment, has the largest piece of the MLC pie at $7,143,106.

Beacon Hill legislators are expected to vote on the state budget in June.

"The budget is less simple than we would like and less forthright than we would like. We are held hostage by the slow pace of the legislature as it moves through its own budgeting process," Marshall said. "We should have a real indication of our Chapter 70 allotments and a real indication of Chapter 71 by then."

Approximately 50 percent of the district's budget is covered by Chapter 70. Marshall said she is expecting a one percent increase of Chapter 70 money.

"One percent doesn't give us the new growth required and leaves the towns trying to fill the state gap," she added.

Should the anticipated state money not come through as budgeted, the towns would have to exceed their MLC to make up the difference. While it's not etched in stone, Marshall said the gap could also be bridged by making budget cuts or by increasing the district's revenue.

Several of the items she mentioned included instituting athletic/extracurricular user fees, consolidation of athletic teams, an increase in the parking fee at the high school, field use fees, as well as possibly looking into limiting busing to those living beyond a mile of school.

The superintendent said that if the towns ratify the proposed budget, all current services are expected to be levelfunded and remain as is. In addition, the budget calls for the hiring of a new speech pathologist as well as expansion of kindergarten to full day.

"In order to access some state money that is available for districts to (expand kindergarten), we must include it in our budget," Marshall explained. "Our budget includes level services as well as money for three kindergarten teachers and two paraprofessionals to expand the program."

She added that a portion of the cost would be offset by a grant from the Department of Education, which would provide the district with $87,000 up until August to prepare for the expansion. In addition, the DOE would provide the NMRSD with another $87,000 to continue to assist the support of the full-day kindergarten for another year.

"Obviously, these positions can not be totally supported with $87,000, but it would certainly allow us to look at the three teachers and two paraprofessionals in a way that makes them affordable," Marshall noted. "I expect it will cost the communities probably about $60,000 for their share of it. But still, it's expanding a program when it will be difficult to maintain our current programs."

She said that as soon as the DOE money dries up, the towns would have to be convinced it would be advantageous to fund full-day kindergarten.

The district has cut staffing levels over the past four years. Marshall explained that the state's dispersal of Chapter 70 money to the district over that time "has been shaky, at best," which has been the catalyst for the layoffs.

"The loss of personnel has been staggering," she said.

In other business, the committee adopted the FY08 debt service of $2.3 million, which goes to pay for newer school buildings such as the Nissitissit and Peter Fitzpatrick schools in Pepperell, as well as repairs to existing schools in Townsend.

The debt service is not a line item of the district's budget.

Townsend's town meeting is slated for Tuesday, May 1, while Ashby's town meeting is Saturday, May 5. Pepperell voters will make their decision on the budget on Monday, May 7.