Rochester Rejects Budget by 1 Vote

Rochester Rejects Budget by 1 Vote

 

By Martha Slater

The proposed Rochester School District budget of $3,327,006 for the 2008-09 school year was defeated by a single vote (125-124) in Australian ballot voting held Tuesday. That figure was a 2.88% increase over the current year.

The 249 voters who cast their ballots represent just 29.6% of the town’s 840 registered voters. Those at the 2007 annual school meeting had voted 108-35 to go to the Australian ballot system, instead of voting at the meeting itself.

School board chair Tim Crowley told the Herald Tuesday night that he was disappointed in the results, but noted, "The board respects the vote of every Rochester resident and folks will now have another chance to have their say."

At its next regular meeting, Tuesday, May 20 at 5:30 p.m., the school board will set a date for a second vote, which, by law, must be by Australian ballot and from 30-60 days from the date of the first vote. Crowley said he expected the date would be sometime in early June.

"The mystery for the board, of course, is what exactly the yes and no votes meant," Crowley added. "Did those who voted ‘no’ do so because they thought the budget figure was too high, or did they disagree with the cuts we made? We would certainly appreciate all the input we can get from the public in the next few weeks."

School Meeting

About 100 Rochester voters had spent over three hours gathered in the high school auditorium Monday evening for this year’s school district meeting.

Alan Bond was re-elected as moderator, and board member Peg McKinley gave recognition to members of the committees for facility, communication, food service, curriculum, and finance, who received a round of applause for their efforts.

Crowley made a presentation that walked everyone through the proposed budget figures and program changes. He said key budget drivers included a new trimester schedule and a consultant for middle and high school English, a significant increase in heating oil cost, reduction of 2.5 FTE (full-time equivalent) investment in the facility, and an increase in foreign language instruction.

Tax rate drivers are the drop in the CLA, a rise in grand list, and a significant decrease in state support. The proposed budget’s cost per student of $12,301 was under the state penalty, an important goal of the board.

Crowley pointed out that for seven of last 11 years, the school budgets have increased at less than the cost of living. Rochester pays 25% of the WNWSU assessment, and there has also been an increase in special education costs. Projected revenue from tuition at both the elementary and secondary levels is up, he said, but so is the cost of health insurance. Salaries and benefits make up 53% of the budget.

Crowley’s presentation also included clarification of the trimester approach, which would eliminate study halls, and explained the board’s reasons for staff reductions in music, phys ed., and English.

Following the presentation, a number of voters asked questions about specifics of the budget figures, as well as the staff reductions.

Neal Cronce rose to say said angrily that, "this school budget is backwards. What the board will tell you is that we can do more with less, but you’re trying to find a way to replace experienced staff at the top of their pay scale with cheap, inexperienced staff. It will kill the music program by putting an undue burden on it."

Lisa Steventon said she commended the board for their efforts, but pointed out that there were many jobs lost in the valley after plant closures, and questioned the amount of WNWSU staff raises, saying "What is the justification for taxpayers to have to pay for that?"

"I thank the board for their hard work, but I’ve been a loggerheads with the supervisory union for years," said Alvina Harvey. "All the towns have problems with trimming their own budgets so that supervisory union budget can be met. The supervisory union has to stop and take a good look at tightening its own belt."

Her remarks were met with applause.

In his report, Principal John Poljacik said he felt he had no choice but to recommend the staff cuts, due to tough economic times. He also shared his excitement about the foreign language program, and spoke about how the elimination of study halls would save the school money and improve delivery of instruction, and how a reading specialist would be utilized.

He said he had met with Bethel Principal Andy West several times to see how the two schools could work together on their music programs.

"The fate of your school is not about your teachers and it’s not about money," Poljacik concluded. "It’s about your curriculum. If your curriculum fails, your school fails. You have to start thinking like a small school."

Norm Pratt commented, "It sure is refreshing to hear us talking about education for a change and about what we’re doing to improve this school. That doesn’t minimize my concerns about the dollars and cents and about the governance of the supervisory union. I’m not happy with how it’s run.

"I think it’s time for us to demand that the supervisory union live up to the expectation that they are a centralizing, combining force to help guide the local boards that collectively help the whole supervisory union, That’s not happening now. We as education interest and taxpaying citizens deserve a lot more for our supervisory union than we’re currently receiving."

Elections

Jean White was re-elected as school treasurer and four seats on the school board were voted on at the meeting by a show of hands.

Incumbent Tim Landwehr won over challenger Neal Cronce for a one-year term to complete a two-year term ending in May 2009. Incumbent Peg McKinley won over Neal Cronce for a one-year term to complete a three-year term ending in May 2009. Incumbent Tim Crowley was re-elected unopposed to complete a three-year term ending in May 2011, and incumbent Beth Frock was re-elected unopposed to complete a two-year term ending in May 2010.

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