Gateway School Committee
passes budget version 2.1
by Amy Porter
Hilltown correspondent
At a special meeting of the school committee on Wednesday, the 12 school committee members present had one item on the agenda, to vote up or down on Gateway Budget Version 2.1.
Version 2.1 of the budget includes the elimination of the stabilization fund request, and transfers $30,000 to extraordinary maintenance for the purpose of replacing and repairing floor tiles.
Moderator Beth Brett of Chester called the meeting to order at 7 p.m., with only 11 members present, with the twelfth member arriving soon after. Twelve members were required for the vote.
Dr. David B. Hopson, Gateway Schools superintendent, said he had spoken to the state commissioner on the process following the failed vote last week.
“If the school committee fails to vote a budget tonight, the commissioner will put the school on a one-twelfth budget beginning on July 1, and then take over the budget in December,” said Hopson.
Ron Damon, School Committee member from Huntington, then made a motion to approve the budget.
During the discussion, Ruth Kennedy, representing Russell, asked for more information about the commissioner taking over the budget. Hopson responded, “It’s the law that you have to have a budget in place within 45 days of the first town meeting. Failing that, the law gives the state commissioner the right to set the current budget as a one-twelfth budget, and then take over fiscal control in December.”
“Whether the towns support it or not, we need to have a school committee that cares,” said Damon.
Kennedy responded, “It’s not that we don’t care, it’s that we’re highly concerned.”
Kennedy said she wants a budget the towns can afford.
Michelle Crane, the sole committee member from Blandford, said, “I always thought being on this committee is a fine line between supporting the students and representing the towns.” Likening the budget process to a volleyball game, she added, “We’ve got to pass this ball to the towns.”
After further discussion, Ron Damon moved the question. All 12 committee members present voted to pass the budget. The meeting was adjourned at 7:09 p.m.
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Huntington Select Board discusses budget
by Amy Porter
Hilltown correspondent
The Huntington Selectmen held an informational meeting on the Gateway Regional School Budget on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in Stanton Hall.
Aimee Burnham, chairwoman of the Select Board, said she suggested the public forum to talk about the budget after hearing about one in Russell. She said that Huntington is represented by three School Committee members: Ron Damon, who has served for more than 20 years, and new members Shelley Wilton and William Hathaway, who were appointed by the Select Board to fill vacancies this past year. All three are up for re-election this year.
Wilton and Hathaway were unable to attend the meeting, and Burnham asked Damon to introduce himself.
“I moved here 40 years ago, because I had a teaching job in Russell before Russell joined Gateway,” Damon said. “I had the pleasure of teaching for 22 years at Gateway. At the end of 30 years of teaching I retired, and six months later I was on the School Committee.”
“I have four children, all college graduates because of Gateway,” Damon continued.
“As for this budget, I can tell you that the budget has been reduced as far as it can go without serious damage to the educational process,” Damon said. He said now that the School Committee has approved the budget, five of the seven towns must also approve it.
Burnham asked, “We have three School Committee members from Huntington. Do you speak among yourselves?”
Damon said, “In an ideal situation, the representatives from Huntington should feel comfortable talking to each other. That has not happened.” Damon then said he would make an effort to reach out to the newer members. William Hathaway of Huntington was the sole School Committee member to vote against the budget last week. Hathaway was not present at Wednesday’s meeting.
John McVeigh of Huntington, asked, “What would it take for the School Committee and the budget to be completely transparent – line for line.” McVeigh used as an example breaking down the line item to replace the phone system that is currently set at $175,000.
Dr. David Hopson, school superintendent responded, “Actually, you have one of the most transparent budgets of any School Committee, anywhere.” Hopson said they couldn’t put in the exact costs of the phone system, because it will go out to bid. He added, “The phone system is now ten years old, and the voice mail hasn’t been supported for five years.”
McVeigh said, “It seems a little too much. A lot of fluff.”
“Times have changed. Just remember, in the last four years, we’ve cut $1.4 million out of the budget,” said Hopson.
Stephanie Fisk, Gateway Business & Finance Manager, said, “The line item budget has been out on the website (www.grsd.org) since January. Those line items follow exactly the state line items.”
Hopson added that at the end of the year, any money that is left over goes into E&D (Excess and Deficiency) to offset the town assessments.
