First quarter budget update: Finance and Operations

post as we go
Allen: state reduction of nearly $600K less than WPS budgeted
school committee recommended budget based on House 1 budget
only funding charter reimbursement at about 69%
generally would have to find that in our budget
within that reduction, there's an offset of $102,014 on chapter 70, which could reduce city contribution, but is not
still have a $500K reduction as part of the city setting its tax rate
there will need to be an item on the full agenda to reduce the budget by that amount (but can see where those will come from in full budget backup)
Final grant awards came through, increase in low income students
"largest increase in low income students across the state last year"
(also largest increase in chapter 70 across the state)
increase in federal grants of $1.8M
had projected a level funded grant stream
increase in each of the grants then has to be directed to that grant's requirements (and can only supplement, not supplant)
restoring PreK and IAs which were previously funded out of that grant
"trying to look at this from a whole budget" perspective
"because of some other things we were seeing in the full budget"
over a $700K deficit in personal services, largely due to special education costs (as specialized services are restructured)
plus new Recovery High School, "I believe there are four students attending"
increase in legal (which is never funded adequately) and translation
in many cases typical: custodial overtime, workers comp, nurses' subs
transportation, as some of our buses had to be taken off the road; services now being provided by Durham
have made assumptions through this time and past history
"even with charter school reduction...projecting $55,924 negative balance at this time"
usually don't do transfers in first quarter, but due to things that are jumping out, transfers recommended
Foley: wider variance that we'd usually see first quarter
freeze on instructional materials?
Allen: yes, and in last two years have had to use to address budget deficit
Foley: have we considered swing custodians?
Martin: looking at all our overtime costs to reduce
Foley: workers comp underfunded
unemployment?
Allen: even in good years, are layoffs
much greater numbers qualifying than projected
Ramirez: nine custodians collecting workers comp: typical?
Allen: has been roughly the number in previous years
Novick: loss of $500K: good time to raise issue of foundation underfunding of previous year's carryover
Allen: $2.4M cummulatively
"that the city will continue to carry forward
motion to discuss with city
transportation issue due to replacement cycle not on cycle
(we bought one bus this year; we usually buy three. That also isn't a fast enough replacement cycle.)
motion to refer to Joint Committee with City Council