Today the Cape Elizabeth School Board’s Finance Committee met to review the latest realignment of the Superintendent’s budget proposal. The initial process of developing such a budget document is always interesting because that document has to be completed prior to the second week in January to ensure it can be ready as a full document prior to the School Board’s regular February meeting. Since revenue amounts including General Purpose Aid to Education, and health insurance cost increases are not known until March or April, estimates must be utilized.
Moving to a health insurance plan based on current cost estimates, we had to begin with a 20% increase in costs. A week ago, we heard that the costs would be between 6-10% so, on Thursday, February 26, we were able to move $163,000 out of the health insurance account. Then, the stimulus package from the federal government made it possible for state government to offset the 2009 curtailment returning $421,000 to the school and town budgets along with a plan to avoid such curtailments for two years. That allowed $421,000 back into our FY10 budget plan. The purchase of heating oil was much lower than predicted, allowing a fairly large savings, and the diesel oil contract also meant a change in those revenues. So, during this current week, we have again calculated our school budget sheet for 2009-2010 and dropped our local property tax increase significantly. My understanding is that I may have another possible decrease next week.
With all of this in mind, the District Leadership Team (DLT) and I worked on an alternative revision to the initial budget. This budget plan addresses specific needs based on our Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment work, data driven decision-making, and technology-focused instruction resulting from the goals of the School Board. Those documents are attached and provide detail on each phase of this adjustment. The realigned plan was presented to the School Board’s Finance Committee today and will be on the agenda for the regular School Board meeting on Tuesday, March 10, 2009, at 7:00 p.m. in the Town Council Chambers.
An opportunity is also provided for your comments on this site.
Alan H. Hawkins,
Superintendent of Schools
Moving to a health insurance plan based on current cost estimates, we had to begin with a 20% increase in costs. A week ago, we heard that the costs would be between 6-10% so, on Thursday, February 26, we were able to move $163,000 out of the health insurance account. Then, the stimulus package from the federal government made it possible for state government to offset the 2009 curtailment returning $421,000 to the school and town budgets along with a plan to avoid such curtailments for two years. That allowed $421,000 back into our FY10 budget plan. The purchase of heating oil was much lower than predicted, allowing a fairly large savings, and the diesel oil contract also meant a change in those revenues. So, during this current week, we have again calculated our school budget sheet for 2009-2010 and dropped our local property tax increase significantly. My understanding is that I may have another possible decrease next week.
With all of this in mind, the District Leadership Team (DLT) and I worked on an alternative revision to the initial budget. This budget plan addresses specific needs based on our Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment work, data driven decision-making, and technology-focused instruction resulting from the goals of the School Board. Those documents are attached and provide detail on each phase of this adjustment. The realigned plan was presented to the School Board’s Finance Committee today and will be on the agenda for the regular School Board meeting on Tuesday, March 10, 2009, at 7:00 p.m. in the Town Council Chambers.
An opportunity is also provided for your comments on this site.
Alan H. Hawkins,
Superintendent of Schools