ORR Proposed Budget Cuts Unveiled

Old Rochester Regional Superintendent Doug White faced little opposition from local residents when he proposed the school budget for the Old Rochester Junior and Senior High Schools at a public hearing the evening of Monday, March 5 in the high school’s cafeteria.

White explained that the budgets for the district are broken into three categories: Level Service, Level Funded and Proposed. Under Level Service, there would be no changes to the staff or services at both schools from the previous fiscal year. Under Level Funded, there is no increase or decrease in the number of money spent from the previous fiscal year. The proposed budget is what the school sees fit to propose to the towns.

The goal is to have as small of a deficit between Level Service and Level Funded as possible. For 2013, Old Rochester has an amount of $17,132,282 for its Level Service budget and $16,639,305 for its Level Funded budget. This means the deficit between the two is $495,282 and is the figure that the School Committee and administrators from the three towns have been working to make as small as possible without making major changes to the schools.

White explained that there are a variety of different areas that the schools plan to cut corners while trying not to make any drastic changes. In terms of transportation, the school was able to work out a deal with its transportation company to receive a discounted rate for the final two years of its five-year contract.  Additionally, the school plans to use all utilities and telephones in a more efficient manner to save money.

In terms of staff, there are two planned retirements from both schools. A custodian that serves both schools and an English teacher from the high school will retire after this year, and White says they will not be replaced.

Seven other support staff paraprofessionals will be eliminated. These positions include classroom aides and other clerical workers such as secretaries.  The cuts from these part-time salaries will total $152,455, which is a 10.93 percent decrease from 2012.

The overall money spent on substitute teachers, tech support assistants and custodial staff will also see a 7.1 percent decrease from 2012 as the school looks to shed $52,445 from last year’s budget.

Several non-negotiable areas that are facing increases are causing the cuts to salaries and utilities, White said. First, contractual obligations to fulfill salary raises to professional teachers in both schools will increase the budget by $125,047 or 1.61 percent. Also, benefits to pay the contracted teachers will increase by $183,265, or 2.94 percent in 2013.

White also hopes to add a full-time Director of Technology position next year with a salary of $45,000. However he said that he has applied for a $500,000 technology grant that, if received, would compensate the individual in that position.

Each year, the three towns in the district are responsible for putting a forth a certain amount of money for the schools. This figure is known as the Foundation Budget and is regulated through the state.

The three towns will put forth a combined total of $8,089,994 as their minimal contribution for the Foundation Budget in 2013. However, the state mandates that the district spend $10,099,046 on the schools, therefore they will allocate $2,009,052 in Chapter 70 funding to meet this requirements.

Marion, Rochester and Mattapoisett also agreed to give an additional $3,976,452 on top of the minimal contribution in order to best benefit the students in the district. Each town’s sum is calculated based on the number of students residing in each town.

With all of the factors considered, the proposed assessment from the towns for the 2013 school budget is $13,663,851, which is a $14,354 (or .11 percent) increase from 2012.  This means that the town and school committee were able to cut a deficit that was nearly $500,000 to just over $14,000 to preserve the programs that are offered at both schools.

“We cannot possibly maintain the same program,” said ORR School Committee Chair Peter Bangs. “I commend them for finding creative ways. We don’t want to see any programs cut.  We would rather see the money shuffled around.”

The ORR School Committee will meet next Wednesday, March 14 to hear a formal proposal of the budget. Two of the three towns must vote in favor of the new budget in order for it to pass.

By Katy Fitzpatrick