Even though Jefferson’s education budget moved through the open budget adoption meeting May 19 with no motions to amend it, no comments, and no questions, the $5,532,891 budget for 2015-2016 barely passed at referendum June 2 by a difference of only two votes.
A total of 282 votes were cast at the referendum, according to Town Clerk Lynne Barnikow, with 142 voting in favor of the budget and 140 against.
Voters also approved a $126,616 increase to the regular instruction category and the overall budget for the current year, 154 votes to 128.
“I’m just really pleased that we have a budget,” AOS 93 Superintendent Steve Bailey said the morning of June 3.
“I’m pleased that, number one, the [2014-2015] budget item passed by as much as it did, and then that we have a budget for [2015-2016] really puts us in a position to start to get to work and really focus on the things that we want to focus on” such as math instruction and supporting learners who need extra help, Bailey said.
“We’re still going to spend cautiously and smartly” to support the things Jefferson Village School Principal Peter Gallace and the Jefferson School Committee want to put in place to support the town’s learners, Bailey said.
The increase to the 2014-2015 overall budget and regular instruction category was part of an ongoing effort by the committee and school officials to address anticipated shortfalls in several parts of the budget.
The shortfalls were partially addressed through curtailing spending and transfers of funds between budget categories, both by the school committee and by the town’s voters.
Projections shared at the committee’s June 1 meeting forecast about $70,000 to remain in the amended budget when the fiscal year ends June 30.
Taking into account the newly approved increase to the current budget, the budget for 2015-2016 will be an increase of $233,222, or 4.4 percent, Bailey said previously.
Between the budget increase, a smaller use of fund balance, and an anticipated decrease in state subsidy of $206,809, the local appropriation need to fund the budget is expected to grow by $487,675 or 14.64 percent, according to budget documents.
