March 29, 2024

Dighton-Rehoboth at Budget Impasse

Posted

UPDATE: Solution reached?

Last night individuals from the Rehoboth Board of Selectmen, School Committee, School Administration, Rehoboth Finance Committee and the Rehoboth Town Moderator met together and went through a variety of budget scenarios. We are committed to finding a resolution that is in the best interests of both the school and town. There were many different pathways and ideas that were collectively presented. The Board of Selectman will be discussing options at their next meeting Monday, August 5 and the School Committee will be discussing new information Wednesday, August 7 at a special meeting. After discussion at these meetings, information will be forthcoming regarding the FY20 budget process.

Following months of disagreement over the 2020 Dighton-Rehoboth school budget, the town is facing a special election to determine whether or not to approve an override of Proposition 2 and a half. The school department is seeking an additional $558, 797.

Voters at the May 28 town meeting had rejected the school committee’s assessment to Rehoboth in favor of the finance committee’s recommendation of $18.9 million. That amount is slightly over $1 million more than last year and $3.4 million more than the town is required to pay under the state minimum net school spending mandate. The school committee opted to disregard the town meeting vote and continued to push for more funding, which prompted officials to hold a special town meeting in July. The town approved an override of Proposition 2 and a ½ in 2018 to provide an additional $2.1 million for the school budget.

Over 1000 voters packed the Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High School on July 16. The vote was 838 in favor of the special election, with 187 opposed.  Selectmen warned of “drastic” cuts to the town budget if the additional school funding was approved without the contingency of another Proposition 2 and a half override. “Unfortunately, the majority of cuts will be aimed at public safety,” selectmen wrote in a letter which appeared in the town warrant. “We will need to consider a layoff of 5 to 7 police officers, as well as the need to consider consolidating the fire department by closing one station.” Library funding could also be reduced, severely curtailing programs and hours at the Council on Aging, and limiting hours other town offices will be open to the public, selectmen noted.

The school committee voted on July 18 to proceed with scheduling the district wide meeting – otherwise known as a “tent” meeting concurrently with the pending override vote. The school committee can vote to reduce their assessment to match what the town has voted. “The district wide meeting is the next step after two failed attempts at a town meeting,” said school committee chairwoman Katherine Cooper. “Passing a vote contingent on an override is considered a “no” vote.”  If the district-wide meeting fails to approve a school budget, the state’s department of education would assume operational control on December 1. If the override is approved, voters will pay an additional $120 per year in taxes.

Meanwhile, tensions between the Board of Selectmen and the Dighton-Rehoboth Regional School Committee have been exacerbated as a result of the committee’s approval of a district-wide meeting to resolve the budget impasse. An informational session was held at the high school on July 30. Cooper said parents were concerned about funding for school sports and extracurricular activities. “They brought up the negative impact of students not being busy after school and getting in trouble, as well as the social importance of after school activities,” Cooper said. “There is also the impact on college acceptance rates to consider.”

Cooper explained the dilemma the schools are facing. “We have already raised the fees to support the sports and activities in the last years,” Cooper noted. “Sports and activities have been taken out of the budget for the past two years, and the increased fees are not fully funding them. We have run a $211,000 deficit two years in a row now to $422,000 and cannot continue to offset that with the E & D savings account.”

Selectmen chairman Gerry Schwall hopes the school committee will approach the selectmen with a funding solution. Schwall laid some of the blame on the school department for the continued turmoil, stating a budget compromise may have been reached with Superintendent Anthony Azar prior to the May town meeting if not for the actions of the school committee. “We are always open to discussion,” Schwall said on July 22.”I can tell you categorically that I have never been reached out to by the chairperson, the vice chairperson of the school committee. (Katherine Cooper) has not reached out to us.”

“Something needs to be done,” Schwall continued. “This is not healthy for any of us. It’s not healthy for the students, it’s not healthy for anyone in the town. Everyone should truly work together.”

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