By Steve Landwehr
WENHAM — The Hamilton-Wenham Regional School District School Committee decided last night to adopt a budget that assumes just a 4 percent cut in state aid for the coming year.
The plan would save the equivalent of 3.6 full-time teachers and other staff districtwide, but there's a big "but" on the table, and district employees could have a big say on what the budget will ultimately look like.
It is predicated on all union bargaining units agreeing to forgo pay increases. Negotiations for new contracts are still under way.
The savings would amount to about $560,000, or slightly less than the projected $598,000 funding gap that would result from a 10 percent cut in state aid.
Regardless of what the state does, the budget also assumes both towns will increase their contributions to the district by 2.5 percent over this year. That assumption troubled Wenham Finance and Advisory Committee member Susan Mehlin.
"You understand this is another $37,000 from Wenham, which is already pinched," Mehlin said. "Where do you expect us to take out another $37,000? Do we cut another police officer? What do we do?"
Acting School Committee Chairman Don Gallant noted the schools have cut 111 full-time staff positions since 2000 and haven't increased services for several years. The problem, he said, is that state funding has dropped precipitously in the time he's been on the board.
"We used to get 25 percent of our funding from the state," Gallant said. "Now we get 11 or 12."
One of the bones of contention in the budget was the so-called Excess and Deficiencies Account, essentially a reserve fund built on any year-end savings in expenses that get carried into the following year.
Mehlin called it a piggy bank funded "on the backs of public safety employees," but board members and school administrators disagreed.
While the account has grown to nearly $1.3 million in recent years, that was by design, they said. More than $630,000 of it will be spent this summer for several projects, primarily replacement of the septic system at the middle and high schools.
Another $234,000 is being eyed for other upcoming projects, leaving just $432,000 not already spoken for, about half what is usually recommended.
Committee member Jack O'Keefe said the board was in a no-win position with the account.
"If we had it down to what some people suggest, people would criticize us for not putting money aside," he said.
Planning ahead for the additional state funding was a strategic move, if nothing else. After the committee votes on a final budget by March 31, it can subsequently decrease the budget, but it can't be increased. If additional state money were available, the district would not be able to roll it into next year's budget.
Last night's budget presentation, held in the Buker School's multipurpose room, is expected to be posted on the district's Web site today, www.hw-regional.k12.ma.us.
