March 28, 2024

Officials Mum on Town Budget Cuts

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The Dighton-Rehoboth Regional School District will be receiving an additional $330,000 from the town, but town officials are not telling what will be cut from the town budget to compensate for the funding. Several warrant articles will be decided at the fall town meeting scheduled for October 29.

Selectmen chairman Gerry Schwall said Monday an override of Proposition 2 and a half was not going to happen and neither will a district-wide meeting. Earlier this month, selectmen had set September 17 as a tentative date for a Proposition 2 and a half override vote. Voters approved the special election at the July 16 town meeting. For months, the school department had been seeking an additional $558, 797. Voters at the May 28 town meeting had rejected the school committee’s assessment for Rehoboth in favor of the finance committee’s recommendation of $18.9 million.

Town officials had met privately and reached a compromise agreement with the school department. The school committee agreed to make $204,000 in reductions to their 2020 budget. As a result, the FY19 to FY20 budget increase is now $373,000 which is a 0.86% budget increase, rather than 1.32%. The total budget is now $45, 096, 223 for the Dighton Rehoboth School District. Schwall said the town’s finances are healthier than they were a few months ago.

Schwall explained there was an increase in local aid. Tax revenues were also higher than expected. Town projects which had been set to go forward will be placed on the back burner for now, according to Schwall.

Selectman Skip Vadnais believes some changes need to be made to the regional agreement, which Vadnais called “outdated” and “unfair” to Rehoboth. “We have some momentum on our side to forge a resolution which will be fair and equitable for both towns,” Schwall said.

Committee chairperson Katherine Cooper said last week the commissioner of education is being asked to set an increased 1/12th budget to match this agreed budget figure for the school district. The school committee approved a $19.3 million assessment for Rehoboth. Cooper said that figure matches the Board of Selectmen's requested number.

Selectman Michael Costello defended the board’s decision to compromise with the school department.

“We had to reach across the table,” Costello said, noting there would be more reductions in the school budget than the town budget. Selectmen vow to maintain more oversight of the school budget for next year so that there won’t be a repeat of this year’s protracted fight. Schwall said School Superintendent Anthony Azar will be invited to attend the board’s meetings for the next budget cycle. “At the end of the day, we need to move forward,” Schwall added.

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