#Middlebury #Region15 #Southbury
By MARJORIE NEEDHAM
On Feb. 24, Regional School District 15 Superintendent Joshua Smith presented his proposed 2020-2021 budget to the Board of Education (BoE). As presented, the budget has the largest year to year increase in 12 years. An increase as large as its 3.59% has not been seen since the 2008-2009 budget year when the increase was 3.93%.
Since then, annual increases have ranged from zero for the years 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 to a high of 2.82% for the 2013-2014 budget year. Smith’s proposed budget of $73.4 million is a $2.5 million increase over the current $70.8 million budget. Last year, the increase was 2.48%.
The percentage Middlebury and Southbury each contribute toward the budget total is determined by the percentage of students in that town. For 2020-2021, Middlebury has an additional 70 students. Middlebury Board of Education member John Cookson said that would increase Middlebury’s obligation to $25 million from $23 million (a $1.89 million increase before rounding).
Cookson, who also chairs the BoE Finance Committee, said it’s important for residents to understand this is a proposed budget, not an approved budget. The final amount the BoE will approve will be determined after its members have heard presentations from others at budget workshops and a public hearing.
The Region 15 budget schedule calls for two BoE budget workshops, a public hearing that includes a third budget workshop and then a meeting at which the BoE will adopt the final 2020-2021 budget. These meetings are open to the public and will include time to comment. The meetings also will be filmed and available through the Region 15 website, region15.org, along with presentations and handouts.
Smith’s Feb. 24 presentation is on the region’s website in PDF format, and the meeting video also is posted there. Click on the “Board of Education” quick link to get to the video. Then click on “Budget & Voting Info” to get to the presentation.
Budget workshops will be held Wednesday, March 4, and Wednesday, March 18, at 6:30 p.m. in the Pomperaug High School Media Center. The March 4 workshop will focus on elementary schools (grades K-5), middle schools (grades 6-8) and curriculum and development. The March 18 workshop will focus on the high school, athletics, SPED (special education) and technology.
The public hearing and budget workshop will be Wednesday, March 25, at 6:30 p.m. in the Pomperaug High School Media Center. The boards of finance from Middlebury and Southbury have been invited to attend and participate in the budget conversation that night. During public comments, residents from Middlebury and Southbury will have three minutes each in which to express their thoughts on the budget.
The BoE will meet Monday, April 6, at 7:30 p.m. in the Pomperaug High School Media Center to adopt the final 2020-2021 budget. Residents of Middlebury and Southbury will vote on the budget (and their town’s respective budgets) on Wednesday, May
UPDATED March 4, 2020 to correct dates in second mention of budget workshops.
