02/26/10
Schools publish budget review schedule
The School Board has published its budget review schedule for fiscal 2010-2011.
Superintendent Alan Hawkins will submit his budget proposal to the board March 9, 2010, with a copy for public view on this Web site, and present an overview at the board's regular business meeting at 7 p.m.
in the Town Hall chamber.
The board will hold two workshops/public hearings during March to review the superintendent's budget proposal for 2011, and may hold a third before voting on a proposed spending plan at their April 2010 meeting.
Hawkins said he plans to present different budget scenarios, as directed by the board at a budget workshop Feb. 23. The primary budget proposal will pose no increase in the tax rate for school services, which is currently $12.54 per $1,000 of assessed valuation.
An alternate proposal the board has requested would be a "maintenance" budget that maintains existing programs, at an estimated school tax-rate increase of 4.76 percent, Hawkins said. A third scenario would detail the effect of a lesser increase in school taxes of 2.38 percent.
"They truly want this as an opportunity to discuss possibilities," Hawkins said.
School administrators have also been asked to submit a prioritized list of items they strongly believe are needed. Hawkins cited the possible example of a curriculum coordinator - an $82,000 line that was eliminated from the budget in 2008.
Hawkins said that in recent months he and administrators had been working on a budget that presented no tax increase. The board's workshop Feb. 23 was scheduled to give Hawkins direction on his proposed spending plan.
The budget review workshops are scheduled for 7 p.m. on March 15 and March 18, both in the High School library. Public comment will be taken, and the School Department is planning to videotape both workshops for later broadcast.
Once approved by the board, the Town Council's Finance Committee will review the school budget at workshops May 6 and 13. The council is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the overall 2011 budget for school, municipal, county and Community Services expenditures on May 24, with a final vote on the school budget slated for May 25.
The first community validation vote on the adopted school budget is set for June 8, coinciding with gubernatorial primaries and an advisory vote on a proposal to establish Fort Williams parking fees.
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