Upcoming meetings:
School Committee:
Tuesday, 1/3 and 4 at 7:30 pm in the WHS library.
On the Agenda: Public Hearing on the Operating
Budget Request.
School Committee:
Thursday, 1/5 at 7:30 pm in the WHS library.
Televised live on Comcast cable, channel 9.
On the
agenda: VOTE on the FY07 Operating
Budget.
Advisory Committee:
Thursday, 1/19 at 7:30 pm at Town Hall.
On the agenda: Review of the WPS FY07 Operating
Budget.
Advisory Committee:
Wednesday, 2/8 at 7:30 pm at Town Hall.
On the agenda: PUBLIC HEARING on Town Budget.
This is a critical meeting: PLEASE ATTEND!
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Progress continues on the budget and project
fronts: The WPS Operating Budget has been
presented to School Committee for review and
decisions on the High School project are pending.
Decisions made in the next three weeks are critical.
What can you do? VOICE YOUR
OPINION NOW. Review the information provided
below on the FY07 Operating Budget and voice your
support to School Committee members via mail or e-
mail NOW.
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| The Level Services Operating Budget |
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The WPS Administration presented the FY07
Operating Budget Request to the School Committee
on December 13th.
The base budget outlines the funds
necessary to provide level-services. That
means it provides the funding required to maintain
the current level of programming, class sizes and
resources. To provide level services in FY07
and accommodate rising enrollment, the WPS
Operating Budget Request outlines an increase of
9.98% over last year (an increase of $4.2M)
This increase is comprised of the following
items:
Current Level-Services (8.74%),
comprised of:
- Contractual/salary obligations ($1.97M)
- Special tuition and transportation ($930K)
- Utilities ($624K)
- Normal replacements/replenishments (183K)
- Maintenance of program ($30K)
Enrollment Increases (1.15%)
Improvements (one
technology technician) (0.09%)
The Administration further stated that they
had recently reviewed the impact of programming
and staffing cuts made over the last three years.
This review revealed a number of items which the
Administration concludes should be reinstated. They
presented these items as a "Supplemental
Budget" totaling $529,000.
For a detailed list of items in the Supplemental
Budget, go to the link below.
Because of the significant increase in the
Level-Services Budget, the Administration did
not consider it fiscally responsible to include the
Supplemental Budget in the Budget Request.
However, they requested it be considered in the
budget review discussion.
Next steps: The School Committee will be
meeting this week (12/19 - 12/23) in sub-committees
to review the budget. Though these meetings are
not open to the public, your input is welcome
in the form of letters and e-mail. School
Committee members can be reached via e-mail at
outreach@wellesley.mec.edu (e-mail is
forwarded to all members).
After sub-committee review, School
Committee will hold a Public Hearing (on 1/3) to hear
comment and opinion. The budget will be reviewed
the following two nights (1/4 and if needed, 1/5) at
open School Committee meetings. The final vote will
take place once this review is concluded (as early as
1/4, but more likely 1/5).
Once approved by School Committee, the
Operating Budget will be presented to the Town
Advisory Committee for further review on 1/19.
Advisory may recommend that School Committee
make reductions. In addition, the School Committee
works with the other Town Boards, as part of the
Interboard working group, to further refine the
school budget. The final budget is presented at
Town Meeting. Items cut during this
process would almost certainly not be returned to
the budget at Town Meeting. Therefore, you are
encouraged to follow the process as it occurs so
that you can provide informed input as you see
warranted.
Committee 21 is committed to supporting
the current standard of education in Wellesley.
To this end, we will keep you updated on
the process, the ramifications and the results, so
that you can make informed decisions.
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Click here to go to the WPS Operating Budget presentation |
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| High School Project Update |
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The Facilities Advisory Commission (FAC) is in the
final stages of preparing a recommendation on the
High School project.
At this point, School Committee has voted
to include a "place-holder" article in the Town
Meeting Warrant to retain the option to include a
request to proceed with a High School project. This
is standard practice, as the deadline for requesting
articles is approaching.
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Click here for the SMMA presentation on the WHS project options...... |
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| Long-term Capital Planning |
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School Committee has approved a 5-year
Capital Plan as the first step in developing a long
term capital plan.
At the December 13th School Committee
meeting,
School Committee heard a presentation by SMMA on
the possible approaches to long term capital
planning, specifically with respect to the elementary
school facilities. The report presents a
current assessment of each facility and options for
preparing a "Master Plan."
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click here to go to Elementary Feasibility Study... |
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| Town Meeting Member Papers Available |
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If you are interested in becoming a Town Meeting
Member, the nomination process is now
underway.
There are 240 Town Meeting
Members with representatives elected from each of
the 7 precincts. The term of office runs for three
years; each year, approximately 11 positions in each
precinct are open for new candidates and candidates
who wish to run again. Town Meeting Members are
elected by the residents of his/her precinct.
Nomination papers for new member
candidates are now available through January 27th
at the Town Clerk's office. The papers are due back
to the Town Clerk's office on or before January 31st.
The Annual Town Election will be March 7,
2006.
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For more information on becoming a Town Meeting Member, click here to go to the Town Clerk's website. |
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| The Last Word |
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The Operating Budget discussion will undoubtedly
prompt a vigorous debate on the costs associated
with maintaining our standard of education here in
Wellesley. The question before the town is:
What is that standard?
This is a question that only the voters can
decide.
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Committee for Education in the 21st
Century
