As the chairman of the Wales School Committee, I feel it is necessary to provide accurate information instead of what has been published in letters recently.

Of the $222,997 increase in local funds over last year’s, more than $180,400 is a result of increased special education requirements, a decrease in Medicare funding, and less in prior year balance carry forward. The remaining $42,500 is needed to support increases in salaries, benefits, fuel oil, electricity, maintenance, etc., but no new programs.

Did the school committee cut the right programs? We had no other real choice, we kept our classroom teachers and their ed techs (we have one classroom for each grade except for grade three, which is split into two classes due to its size), a three-day-a-week guidance counselor/social worker, principal, school secretary and special education.

Which of these programs should we have cut instead of what we did?

Neither Mr. Derick nor Mr. Landry attended any of the budget meetings to learn what was really in the budget, nor did they attend the special meeting on June 14 to offer their suggestions on where to cut the budget. Mr. Derick did attend the town meeting and made the motion to cut $202,691 from the budget, but had no recommendation on where to cut. Mr. Landry was absent.

Their letters were full of inaccurate or misleading information.

Robert English, chairman

Wales School Committee, Wales