ORFORD — Facing a budget deficit and rising salaries and benefits, the Rivendell Interstate School District is asking voters to approve a nearly 10% budget increase for the 2020-21 school year and tax increases as high as 17%.
School officials say their $12.3 million budget proposal, an increase of $1.1 million, would correct years of “inaccurate budgeting” that led them to underestimate costs.
Rivendell hopes to pay off a roughly $400,000 deficit in the upcoming budget, with shortfalls attributed to maintenance costs and past accounting mistakes.
The buildings and grounds budget was overspent by about $200,000 because of efforts to reverse two decades of deferred maintenance, according to Superintendent Barrett Williams, who succeeded former Superintendent Elaine Arbour in July.
Meanwhile, the district is attempting to pay off a $500,000 shortfall that dates back to the 2018-19 school year, when administrators failed to account for some special education funding changes. Those deficits led the district to enact a spending freeze in December, Williams said.
Administrators also warn that upcoming challenges are reflected in the proposed budget.
Both transportation and health care costs are expected to rise 12% next year, and the district is predicting a $400,000 increase for salaries and benefits.
Williams said the budget proposal is based on “actual” costs to provide the same services as past years.
“It’s an increase that probably should have been felt over the last couple of years and not had such a great impact this year,” Williams said in a phone interview on Monday. “But the reality is (the budget will) get us back in line and back on track.”
If approved, the budget would increase taxes in all of Rivendell’s towns, with its Vermont communities seeing the biggest percentage increases.
Fairlee residents would see a 17% increase in taxes, and pay an estimated tax rate of $1.85 per $100 of a home’s valuation. West Fairlee’s tax rate would increase by 7.3% to $1.86. Vershire’s tax rate would be $1.94, up about 10.3%.
Owners of a property valued at $250,000 in Fairlee who are not eligible for Vermont’s income sensitivity program would expect to pay $4,625 in property taxes to the district. Owners of a home of the same value in West Fairlee would expect to pay $4,650; and in Vershire, the bill would be $4,850.
Orford residents would have an estimated school tax rate of $19.22 per $1,000 of valuation, a 3.3% increase, or $4,805 on a $250,000 home.
Williams said the budget would maintain Rivendell’s staffing levels — 58 teachers and 74 staff members — along with its current programs.
The district considered structural changes at schools, including moving classes or closing facilities, but exploring those options may have to wait until students return, he said.
There were plans to move the sixth grade to Rivendell Academy next year, which would allow the district to eliminate one teaching position, but those may be pushed off for a year, Williams said.
“All districts are trying to create an educational environment that attracts families to want to live in their towns, and how do you do that if you’re having to reduce teachers and combine classrooms?” he asked.
A forum on the budget was attended via teleconferencing software by 54 people Tuesday night, with some asking how the district could request additional taxes during the economic tumult.
Orford resident Jeff MacQueen pointed out that Rivendell’s enrollment continues to decline. Officials say enrollment is projected to drop to 433 students in the coming year, down from 500 students during the 2017-18 school year.
MacQueen, who has lived in Orford for two decades, said he’s pulled his children from Rivendell schools and knows of others who did the same.
“From our perspective, Rivendell is hemorrhaging students,” he said. “Taxpayers deserve to know why the costs are increasing 10%, an incredibly large amount of money, while students and families are leaving the district.”
For the time being, the March closure of schools may provide some savings because students aren’t physically present, he said. However, students have continued learning through a hybrid model that includes the use of both digital and physical materials.
The district and its employees have worked to drive learning materials to students, including art supplies for middle schoolers and band equipment such as a full-size xylophone, according to Head of Schools Keri Gelenian.
More than 100 laptops and Chromebooks were delivered as well, and the district is producing more than 100 meals a day for students who can no longer access the school cafeteria.
“As much as possible, we’ve been trying to accommodate every family,” Gelenian said, adding that schools are also providing check-ins and working with students with varying access to the internet.
School Board member David Ricker said those efforts highlight the need to pass the district budget, arguing that schools play an important role connecting people during times of crisis.
“I think a lot of people miss that sometimes. They just see it as a school but it’s much more than that,” he said.
Voters in Rivendell’s four towns — Orford, Fairlee, West Fairlee and Vershire — will decide whether to appropriate the budget money months after the district delayed its traditional annual meeting because of the coronavirus pandemic.
To accommodate residents and comply with public safety measures, the vote will be conducted through a combination of mail-in and in-person Australian ballot votes.
Town clerks mailed out absentee ballot applications earlier this month. Residents were invited to fill them out for a ballot, which is due back by Tuesday, May 26.
Those who want to vote in person or who are planning to use same-day registration also will be given a two-hour window Tuesday at Rivendell Academy. Polls will be open from 5 to 7 p.m.
People can find out more about the upcoming vote at the school district’s website www.rivendellschool.org.
Tim Camerato can be reached at tcamerato@vnews.com or 603-727-3223.