LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — The hope for the Elementary School budget is to use school choice funds to prevent an increase in the appropriated portion of the budget.

 

"My objective is to bring zero percent [increase] to the town," said Chairwoman Regina DiLego at a workshop meeting last week. 

 

The first draft of the budget called for a total increase to the budget of $79,461 and Business Manager Nancy Rauscher penned in $29,700 in school-choice revenue to bring the town's contribution down. From there, the School Committee found about $15,000 worth of cuts to consider, which would bring the total increase down to $63,564 and with the $29,700 being allocated from school choice, the increase would be $33,864. 

 

The remaining projected school choice revenues, however, could be enough to cover the difference. But, the committee has only had one workshop meeting so far and estimates are still evolving.  

 

The School Committee is expected to review the budget yet again with some changes and ultimately will be looking to see if there will be enough school choice and contingency money to offset the increase while still maintaining somewhat of a reserve.

 

"This was very much a work-in-progress and the preliminary figures have continued to evolve. We will be reviewing proposed revisions at a yet-to-be posted Lanesborough School Committee meeting," Rauscher said in an email Wednesday. 

 

The increases to the budget overall are mostly estimated to come from instructional salaries with about a $20,000 increase for special education staff and $24,000 increase for general instructional staff. There is also about a $17,000 increase in administrative and shared services line — including a $7,000 increase for Superintendency Union 71. The school looks to see a decrease in custodial salaries by about $8,000. The rest of the first draft of the budget has some items increase only slightly while other areas decreasing slightly.

 

While the goal may be a zero percent increase of money coming from the town, the School Committee does have some room because Mount Greylock Regional Middle and High School is looking to come in at zero or even below.

 

"Our preliminary budget is proposed to have a negative increase to the town of Lanesborough," said Mount Greylock School Committee Chairwoman Carrie Greene.

 

Rauscher said town officials asked the schools to keep the budget requests to be kept around 60 to 65 percent of the town's total budget. 

 

DiLego is wondering if there could be even more reductions in the future when it comes to transportation. She asked suggested bringing in an outside entity to audit the general education and the transportation. Such an audit was done in the special education department last year and found the school could reduce paraprofessionals, which the committee ultimately did.

 

The first draft of the budget is available below.