BOE Proposes 3.3% Budget Increase

The Board of Education voted unanimously to support Superintendent of Schools Lynn McMullin’s budget, but not before increasing it.

The board voted to up the budget by 3.3 percent from last year’s budget of $17.6 million.

McMullin had proposed a 2.7 percent increase.

“I am asking the board to stand behind me,” McMullin said.

“We are merely meeting goals and paying bills … we need to move away from a one percent increased budget,” McMullin said to the Board of Education.

In reviewing the budget, Debra Marino said she wanted school security separated.

“I completely support this budget. I want to see a separate line item for security and want to see it go from $5,000 to $100,000,” Marino said.

McMullin said she felt that the $5,000 would grow.

McMulling said that 23 percent (of the school building upgrades) might be reimbursed by the state so there will be “room to expand” (that figure).

“If we’re forming a permanent security committee they need to have money to do their job,” Marino said.

McMullin said the school system has seen positive growth this past year.

“Our new website is up-to-date with a trustworthy calendar,” she said.

McMullin said the website has seen 75,500 visits since August with 96 percent views in English.

“We had excellent results with the satisfaction survey,” she said.

McMullin said the instrumental music program was expanded and was receiving positive feedback.

A new teacher evaluation program and PowerSchool have been implemented. PowerSchool is a program where parents can check on their children’s progress McMullin said.{{more}}

“This budget finally goes beyond meeting contractual obligations,” McMullin said.

The budget reinstates the fees for the school district to belong to the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education.

Additionally, two part-time aides will be transitioned from a grant into the operating budget for $221,688.

The BOE will next appear before the Board of Finance to presents its proposed budget.

Voter’s will have the opportunity to learn more about the budget at the Board of Finance Budget Hearing on April 24, 7:30 p.m. at High Plains Community Center.