FY19 Joint Budget Working Session

Tuesday, March 20 at 6:30 PM
HCAM-TV, 77 Main St (lower level), Hopkinton

The next joint FY19 Budget working session for the Selectmen and School Committee is coming up this Tuesday. Previously at the March 9 working session, the town and school department heads were asked to lower the net tax impact on residents from +7.1% to +5% over the FY18 budget. This may include reducing personnel, or eliminating / postponing pay-as-you-go capital expenses. A large portion of the tax increase is due to debt exclusions voted by residents at past town meetings. A list of the debt exclusions and the date of the votes is on pages 3-4 of the FY19 Budget Plan Changes document (2-8-18).

Also at the 3/20 meeting, per the 3/13 vote of the School Committee, the Board of Selectmen will review and consider endorsing the School Committee’s proposal that the Town submit a Statement of Interest (SOI) for the Elmwood School to the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA). The deadline for submitting SOI is April 8, 2018. The Board approved a similar request on Tuesday, February 28, 2017.

Documents:

• DRAFT 2018 Town Meeting Warrant
• School Committee Budget Projections FY19-22
• FY19 Budget Plan Changes (as of 2-8-18)
• FY19 Draft Budget Summary for 3-9-18 Joint Meeting
• School Committee Meeting Packet 3-15-18

Watch the budget meetings and presentations:

• School Committee FY19 Budget Discussion 3-19-18 – reviewing options to cut the school operating budget by $715,000.
• School Committee Meeting 3-15-18
• Board of Selectmen Meeting 3-14-18
• Joint FY19 Budget Meeting 3-9-18 (Selectmen, School Committee)
• Joint FY19 Budget Meeting 2-8-18 (Selectmen, School Committee, Appropriation Committee)
• School Committee Meeting 3-1-18 – Budget discussions start at 1h40m into the meeting.
• Board of Selectmen Meeting 1-16-18 – Budget discussions start at 1h47m into the meeting.
• School Committee Public Hearing and Vote on the Budget 1-11-18 – Budget discussions including public comments start at 30m into the meeting.