The school budget for fiscal 2015 is running $33,000 short.

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — School officials are still trying to close a budget gap caused by miscalculating staffing costs.

 

The school's budget is currently negative $33,594 as Business Manager Lynn Bassett continues to find ways to break even.

 

"We are reducing that quarter by quarter," Bassett told the School Committee last week.

 

Bassett said the deficit was caused by changes in staffing that weren't calculated into the budget. A .6 full-time equivalent was moved to 1 and a .4 was moved to .6.

 

"We are closely monitoring the FY15 budget and as employees are making changes such as retirements and such we are calculating the savings to close this gap," Bassett said in a recent e-mail.

 

The much debated pre-kindergarten program is also running a negative of $1,399, but Bassett says revenues could end up coming in higher than currently projected, which will close that gap.

 

As for next year's budget, the School Committee directed interim Superintendent Gordon Noseworthy to craft a level-service budget, with the aim to see only increases already negotiated into contracts or because of utilities.

 

"My sense would be to guide the budget thinking with the idea that it should be minimal and zero would be a tremendous accomplishment," School Committee member Robert Barton said.

 

The members are currently thinking that increase would end up being somewhere in the $40,000 range. But, they also said they felt uncomfortable with specific numbers because the budget process hadn't begun.

 

Town Administrator Paul Sieloff asked the school to hold a public hearing in March to fit in with the town's budgeting efforts. 

 

"We need to bring you a budget in February of what we are suggesting and what you proposed," Noseworthy said of the timeline.

 

In other business, the School Committee is currently awaiting the final report on a recent audit performed on the special education department. The district paid $3,000 to Futures Education to look into the department in a broad scope and compare to best practices. 

 

"The purpose was to make sure we are using best practices to deliver the most comprehensive services to students. We have not received the final report yet, although a draft is finished and being reviewed by the superintendent and legal counsel," said Chairwoman Regina DiLego, in a recent email.

 

Now that the work has been completed, Barton voiced concerns over the way it was handled. 

 

"I am uncomfortable about the way the audit was decided," he said.

 

The audit wasn't voted on in October because it wasn't on an agenda. It had come up during a separate discussion, according to DiLego. Barton was not in attendance at that meeting and DiLego and School Committee member Jim Moriarity requested the administration performed the audit.

 

"I became concerned that the audit was being designed by one of our administrators who needed to be included in the audit," Barton added. 

 

The department head was involved in crafting the scope of the audit, which Barton believes was a conflict in interest.

 

Also in other business, Noseworthy reported that he is now putting together a search committee to find a replacement for retiring Principal Ellen Boshe.

 

"I'll make sure I conduct a thorough search and we have the best possible person in Lanesborough," Noseworthy said.