Retooled RUHS, RTCC Budgets Go before Voters April 4

Retooled RUHS, RTCC Budgets Go before Voters April 4 By Sandy Cooch The first Randolph area budgets voted down this year—those for Randolph Union High School and Randolph Technical Career Center—will be the first up for revote next Tuesday, April 4.

Polls will be open that day in Braintree, Brookfield, and Randolph for voters to consider a $7.69-million RUHS budget, cut by almost $100,000, and a $2.49-million RTCC budget that is $17,200 smaller than the one rejected in February.

The cuts will result in the elimination of one full-time teaching position at the high school, in middle school remedial reading, and other reductions. The RTCC cut was made by eliminating a one-day-a-week "machining strand" at the technical center (taught by a .20 FTE teacher).

The cuts mean that the RUHS operating budget increase— originally at 2.6%—is whittled down to just under 1% (.92%.) The RTCC budget as originally proposed was level-funded; with the $17,200 cut, it is now about half of a percent lower than last year’s budget.

RTCC Director Bill Sugarman noted this week that the tuition rate for the tech center will go down by about $250 next year. Tom O’Connell, who taught the one-day-a-week machining class, will remain as a .80 FTE aide in the mechanical core classes, he said.

School officials this week urged Braintree, Brookfield, and Randolph voters to attend an informational session on the revised budgets Monday, April 3, 7:30 p.m. at the RUHS auditorium.

Following Week, Too

A similar schedule will unfold the following week in Randolph only, when an April 10 informational session, 7 p.m. at Randolph Elementary School, will be followed by an April 11 revote of K-6 budget that was cut by $40,400.

Randolph Selectboard members are still retooling their general, capital, and police budgets for revote in the future.

Orange Southwest Supt. Brent Kay said yesterday that both high school and elementary school boards have produced informational sheets that will be distributed to voters.

At their March 8 board meeting, RUHS board members and administrators discussed ways to get out the vote next week.

"No matter how it turns out," said Supt. Kay at that meeting, "I want to see more than 500 people voting."

In voting on Feb. 9, the RUHS budget was rejected in a 296-208 vote and the RTCC budget went down 275-238. Although the 500 or so folks voting this year represented a big increase over the 350 or so who voted on RUHS/RTCC budgets in 2005, it still represents a fairly small percentage of eligible voters in the three towns.

"I hope that folks with questions do attend the Monday night informational session—and please come out and vote," said RUHS Principal John Holmes this week.

Polling hours and locations on Tuesday will be:

• In Braintree, at the town clerk’s office 10 a.m.-7 p.m.;

• In Brookfield, at Brookfield Elementary School, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; and

• In Randolph 10 a.m-7 p.m. at RUHS Murray Auditorium.

Absentee Ballots

But that’s not the only way to vote. Registered voters in any of the three towns can vote before Tuesday, via absentee ballots, available from their respective town clerks.

Linda Nissl, assistant clerk in Randolph, noted that voters may call and request a ballot to be mailed, or stop by and pick one up, or just vote in the office. Homebound voters may request to have a ballot brought to their residence, and the request should be made by noon on Monday, in Randolph.

Contact your town clerk for absentee ballot procedures in your town.

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