Newport
The meeting begins at 6 p.m. at the Newport Middle High School.
The proposed budget, which includes one-year contracts for teachers and support staff, increases spending from this year’s around $436,000, or 2.5 percent.
If no amendments are made to the budget at the deliberative session and voters pass it during the annual school meeting vote on March 14, the local school tax rate is projected to increase $2 per $1,000 of assessed valuation.
Three other articles on the warrant — having to do with reserve funds and an elementary school behavioral program — would be paid for through a projected surplus.
Superintendent Cindy Gallagher said the budget sufficiently funds programs, adds staff and most importantly, gives teachers, administrative assistants and paraprofessionals a raise.
“I am confident that there is enough money here to continue our initiatives but also put the teachers’ contract in the budget,” Gallagher said Thursday.
Gallagher also said the budget adds three teaching positions and a paraprofessional position. No teaching positions were cut.
The teacher contract, which gives each of the 104 union members a $1,240 raise, cost $223,446, and the support staff contract adds $216,400.
The School Board cut nearly $500,000 from the original budget plan, but at the time the two collective bargaining agreements had not been finalized so they were not included.
Two of the other three articles add $50,000 each to the existing unanticipated educational services expendable trust fund and the transportation capital reserve fund. The third article seeks $200,000 for a one-year behavior support program. Gallagher said most of the money would pay for personnel for the program.
If voters defeat these articles, $300,000 from the surplus would offset the tax rate and lower the projected increase for the budget to about $1.30. Another $225,000 from the fund balance would be applied to the tax rate impact for the budget.
The current local school tax rate is $12.39 so depending on what is approved, the owner of a property assessed at $150,000 is projected to see an increase in annual property taxes of between $190 and $300. The default budget, which would take effect if the proposed budget is defeated, is only $1 more than the proposed $17.7 million spending plan, but does not include teacher and support staff contracts.
Patrick O’Grady can be reached at pogclmt@gmail.com
