FM #1219 - FPS Budget Subcmte Mtg - 05/28/24

Franklin Matters Radio

This session shares the Franklin School Committee Budget Subcommittee meeting of Tuesday, May 28, 2024. Subcommittee Chair Dave McNeill, Dr Paul Griffith, KP Sompally, Supt Lucas Giguere, Business Administrator Dr Bob Dutch and current Asst Business Administrator Janaina Vasconcelos-Melotti participated.

My notes from this session:

• Overview of agenda from Supt Giguere, Dr Dutch provides update on scenarios being prepared, 35+ staff possible if the override fails, some of the estimates depending upon how the teacher contract handles the individuals and their status, licensure, tenure, etc.
• If fees go up, then some of the cuts could decrease. There is more coming in the SchCom meeting about use of the revolving funds, there is nothing more there to use, albeit some folks not quite accepting/understanding it
• The cuts, if the override does not pass, will increase class sizes, and course loads for teachers and other staff will also increase. They did look to provide class size equity across in consideration.
• By way of example, high school students in selecting their electives are helping to determine what is offered or not
• An overview of the revolving accounts. "The idea that revolving funds can contribute more than they have is not reality" Revolving funds accounts are also restricted to expenses of that nature, they can't be used indiscriminately elsewhere
• Special Ed would be an investment that can provide a return
• Review of the future budget forecast, after the $6.3, assuming the override passes, then the 60% would come, does it include the 'normal' 2.5% or not. Bottom line, the $4m would still be more than 'normal'
• Meeting adjourned, downstairs to full school committee meeting

The meeting recording runs about 46 minutes.

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Agenda for this session ->

https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/agendas/5-28-24_agenda-budgetsubcom_0.pdf

My notes captured via Twitter can be found in one PDF file -> https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bQxguiqvMylIi8_n0OOfzP6NJwDUsngX/view?usp=drive_link

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