ConVal school board approves proposed budget

By ROWAN WILSON

Monadnock Ledger-Transcript

Published: 01-09-2023 1:55 PM

The ConVal School Board approved the proposed 2023-2024 budget Thursday night.

The proposed operational budget is approximately $53.8 million, an increase of 1.35 percent over last year’s approved budget. The proposed gross budget, which includes federal programs like Title I & II and food services, is approximately $56.1 millon, a 0.5 percent decrease. A public hearing on the budget is scheduled for Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the district office.

The vote to approve the budget was 8-1. Kevin Pobst of Francestown voted against the proposed budget, claiming that he was uncomfortable with the additions to the budget, including the plan to add paid positions.

“We fall into a pattern of just wanting to add to the budget to reach aspirations,” Pobst said, and questioned if this is actually helping the school reach its educational goals. 

Superintendent Kimberly Rizzo Saunders emphasized the inflated costs of services and materials that have been absorbed into the budget.

“The Municipal Price Index is up about 12 percent,” Rizzo Saunders said, and “CPI [Consumer Price Index] is hovering about 8 percent.”

Health, dental and life insurance costs have increased. The federal payroll tax FICA is up 11.71 percent. The district is budgeting 60.14 percent more for electricity and 34.34 percent for heating oil. 

“Please understand, we are really doing the best we can,” Rizzo Saunders said. 

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There are less estimated revenues and state funding projected for 2023, and the proposed budget would include a 3.86 percent increase to the tax rate. The next step is to take the budget to town select boards in hopes they will support it.

“It’s helpful to have [their support] when we go to the public,” said Vice Chair Janine Lesser of Peterborough.

Board member Richard Dunning of Peterborough questioned what would happen to federal ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) funds, if the school budget does not pass. Rizzo Saunders explained that they would still have access to the funds which are to be “used to improve student learning and growth.”

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