When Westport’s Board of Education goes before the Representative Town Meeting (RTM) next week, it will not ask for a budget restoration, education officials say.
Instead, it will seek approval of it $116,173,800 operating budget — a 1.57 percent increase for next year — approved by the Board of Finance. The education and finance committees will meet Thursday night to make their recommendations.
The full RTM is scheduled to vote on the budget Tuesday night, and the legislative body can either let the proposed budget stand or make further reductions.
The original budget submitted by the school board was $118,223,800, a 3.36 percent increase. The finance board originally cut $2.05 million, and ended up restoring $1.128 million.
“They’re not going to seek budget restoration,” Elio Longo, school business administrator said, adding that that the amount not restored will come from fiscal belt tightening within the school system.
Schools Superintendent Colleen Palmer is proposing cuts that amount to $1,018,904. They include: reducing the number of print textbooks, replacing them with electronic texts; copying cost reductions; deferring the replacement of a third grade technology instructor; cutbacks in teaching and learning consultants; deferring the hiring of a pre-K through grade five math administrator; and cutting an elementary school teacher.
The $116,173,800 proposed budget comes after a long back and forth between the Board of Finance and the school board, plus its seven bargaining units.
According to Elio Longo, school business administrator, all seven of the units agreed to join the state’s medical insurance partnership plan. It was originally thought that would net $1.3 million in insurance premium savings, an amount it was later determined would save only $1.078 million.
— James Lomuscio
