Joint Session on School Budget Tonight
The Barrington School Committee and the Committee on Appropriations meet in Town Hall to review the proposed school operating budget for next year, which makes up 70 percent of all spending.
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The School Committee meets in its annual joint session with the Committee on Appropriations tonight to discuss the proposed 2013-14 operating budget for the Barrington schools.
The joint meeting starts at 7 pm in the School Committee Meeting Room in Town Hall.
The proposed school budget for next year is $46.18 million or 3.7 percent more in spending than this year -- about $1.46 million. The spending plan creates a $1.05 million impact on Barrington taxpayers or a 2.37 percent boost in local contribution.
State aid for next year is estimated at $984,000.
The budget, of course, is still a work in progress because of contract negotiations with the teachers’ union – although an estimated amount for salaries and benefits is already built into the budget.
For the first time, the budget also inclues some historical data based on a state model that gives the appropriations committee members additional information to chew on as they review the proposed spending plan.
Overall, salaries and benefits still make up about 87 percent of the school budget with contractual, operational and mandated services upping that percentage to about 97 percent of all proposed spending.
The proposed school budget also makes up about 70 percent of overall municipal spending in Barrington. School salaries and benefits of about $40 million alone make up about 66 percent of all town spending -- or about $2 of every $3 spent.
Here is the complete agenda for tonight's joint meeting:
BARRINGTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE/COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Government Center, 283 County Road
March 14, 2013
7:00 p.m.
A. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
B. ACHIEVEMENT RECOGNITION
C. INFORMATION AND PROPOSALS
1. Instructional Technology
D. JOINT DISCUSSION ON BUDGET WITH COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
1. Introduction of Committee on Appropriations
2. Review School Budget
EXECUTIVE SESSION Pursuant to R.I. Gen Laws Section 42-46-5(a)(1)for Personnel; Section 42-46-5(a)(2) for Collective Bargaining andLitigation with NEAB, United Steelworkers and BEST; and Section42-46-5(a)(3) for discussion regarding school buildings securityissues.
The next regular meeting of the Barrington School Committee is scheduled for Thursday, March 21, 2013 at Government Center, 283 County Road, Barrington, RI 02806.
Gary Morse
8:53 am on Thursday, March 14, 2013
There is another meeting tonight at 7 pm of the Senior Services Advisory Board (downstairs in the library).
Two important items are expected to be covered: the Senior's tax deferment proposal by Finance Director Dean Huff, and the proposal by Town Planner Phil Hervey to redirect money out of Barrington's home repair program over to West Elmwood Housing for the Walker Farms project.
The proposal by the town planner to redirect Barrington's grant money to an affordable developer is particularly troubling since our Town Planner has not yet provided information on the following issues:
1) Asked West Elmwood Housing why the grant request was not placed with the RI
Housing Resources Commission where it rightfully belongs.
2) Asked if prior grants for the Walker Farms project provided from the RI Housing
Resources Commission have been audited in any way to ensure they were properly
spent.
3) Asked if West Elmwood Housing actually needs the money more than Barrington's low income residents. This is easily checked by reviewing their IRS Form 990 to see if there is a demonstrated financial need that outweighs the immediate needs of town residents (note -their current IRS form 990 does not show a financial need).
4) Why the Town Planner has not provided to residents an explanation why Barrington's CDBG home repair program isn't being promoted to residents by the Planners Office.
Residents have an interest in the outcome of these issues.