SANDWICH – The Sandwich Board of Selectmen recently heard a presentation by the school committee on the next fiscal year budget.
The issue at hand was the planned increase in next year’s budget. The committee is hoping for an increase of 3 percent rather than the 2.5 percent that has been suggested. This represents an additional $128,000, bringing the total budget request to $26.3 million.
A major goal is achieving a level budget which Committee Chairman Stephanie Hall explained to the board. “In my time on this board, and many years prior, we have not had a level service budget. Level service means that we take our contractual obligations and add our expenses line to create the next year’s budget.”
The unreached level service budgets have resulted in $1.3 million in cuts to the district.
The additional money being sought would help keep freshmen sports teams in place, replace outdated locks in the two elementary schools and provide additional security at the Forestdale School.
Sandwich, like other school districts across the country, is facing grant cuts at the federal level which will result in trying to find ways to absorb the losses.
Hall also expressed concern about a potential loss of students. “It is my opinion that additional cuts from our general operating budget are not sustainable. We cannot continue to cut from the part of our budget that directly impacts our students and still expect that they will choose Sandwich schools over all other options.”
The board took the request under advisement.
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