Recap: Budget SubCommittee disappointed with lack of representation on School budget

Quick Recap:

• Good info shared by Town Administrator Jamie Hellen on the overview of estimated revenues, with slight updates from that shared with the Finance Committee meeting last week
• Aside from that, no further details were discussed on the budget aside from variations on the theme of disappointment with the lack of representation from either the School Dept or the School Committee
• Having participated in the School Committee budget subcommittee meeting on Tuesday, I provided the info that the discussion there reflected (1) awareness of this budget meeting and (2) they were awaiting information on the joint budget committee meeting where the school budget is normally reviewed
• Chair announced that there will be questions on stormwater for the DPW to explain the increase of the $860K as mentioned but they were not raised this night
  

 

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As with most meetings in this pandemic period, I took my notes via Twitter during the meeting reporting in real-time via the virtual session.

 

The Twitter hashtag can be found online  #

https://twitter.com/search?q=%23bsc0317&src=typeahead_click

• Ready for the budget Subcommittee meeting to begin at 6 PM. #bsc0317
• Meeting opens at 6:02 PM. https://franklinma.gov/budget-subcommittee/agenda/budget-subcommittee-agenda-2 #bsc0317 Also available on the home page for the Town
• Facing a deficit of approx $2M after the revenue adjustments are made over the next several weeks #bsc0317 three key budgets (DPW, stormwater, and Schools). With a 3.6M increase in revenue, and schools asking for $3m it is not hard to say they won't get it all.
• Kelly disappointed in not having the Superintendent or the SchComm chair in the meeting #bsc0317
• "Will not ask for an override when we know there is money to be cut" #bsc0317 can't vote for the SchComm increase, not for the stormwater increase ($860K+)
• Mercer advocates for a joint budget Subcommittee meeting to being this group, the SchComm and the FinComm together. #bsc0317
• Meeting adjourns, #bsc0317

 

Recap: Budget SubCommittee disappointed with lack of representation on School budget