Finance Board Cuts $713K from Education Budget Proposal

Board of Finance members agreed to cut a total of $713,000 from the $53,048,399 budget proposal for Monroe Public Schools in fiscal year 2013-14. Supt. of Schools James Agostine says the district can handle it because of positive trends in health insurance claims and through savings from energy efficiency projects for its buildings.

A consultant with Ovation told the district it can afford to reduce its health insurance reserve by $490,000 and Honeywell, which has been contracted to perform building upgrades, anticipates $223,000 in savings on utility bills, Agostine said at a Board of Finance Budget Workshop Monday night.

If it is a bad year for health insurance claims, Board of Finance Chairman Mark Reed said the board will do all it can to make the school district whole.

Board of Finance members Ted Quinlan and Chris Baudouin expressed concerns over supporting the $223,000 cut without the Honeywell contract being approved yet, though Baudouin said he would support it the cut.

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Later that night, the Town Council approved a Honeywell contract for $3.8 million worth of energy saving projects for every school but Monroe Elementary. Bonding for the projects will go before voters at an upcoming Town Meeting. 

Deliberation over the Board of Education budget went smoothly.

"The reason it's so short is because you came in with a very transparent budget and did a good job," Reed told Agostine.

After the workshop, Agostine said, "It went pretty well. We're not surprised. I think with the medical reserve the Board of Education understands it's trending nicely. And if Honeywell's approved, I think we'll have that too."

The 2013-14 budget proposal includes full-day kindergarten.