BETHEL — The SAD 44 budget with a $1.3 million increase in fiscal year 2024 was passed in 35 minutes by about 40 voters.

The 4.2% increase was offset by an increase in revenue by the other towns, Greenwood, Newry and Woodstock; by state aid ($985,831 for FY24) and also by carryover funds.  Superintendent, David Murphy said he hoped people were pleased since,  “a lot of places are seeing much higher numbers than that.”

The total budget for FY24 is $14,111,566.

The meeting was held on Wednesday, May 24, at Telstar’s Helen C. Berry auditorium. Many of the attendees were school board members and school personnel.

Special Education salaries were the reason for much of the elevation in cost. Two new teaching positions and six ed-tech positions are all related to special ed, said Murphy. That budget was $1,498,801 last year and increased to $2,289, 586 for fiscal year 2024. The increase is $790,785.

The school board finance committee met weekly for several months to crunch the numbers: Presenters: Erin Cooley and Danny Whitney; along with Mark Hutchins and Meredith Harrop were on the team.

Said Cooley, “Rather than reviewing the typical 60-slide Power Point presentation, members of the finance committee will present instead what might be considered a cliff note version of the budgets.” She said people at last year’s meeting better received this approach. The committee had brought all the slides should anyone ask for the breakdown. No one did.

Attendees would still need to vote on each of the 11 cost center articles as well as two additional items, said Cooley.

Bethel resident Sarah DeCato asked about the the new Special Projects Coordinator role and under what cost center the role falls. She said she wanted to know what the purpose of the position was and if the committee could shed some light on it.

Cooley responded, “the position you refer to is coordinator of special projects and grant writer, in cost center 9, building and grounds . The reason it rests in that cost center is because the job specifications primarily focus on the duties of facilities director.”

Cooley said because they have not been able to hire a facilities director for over a year Dr. Murphy will fill that role but also have grant writing as part of his job, too. “We feel that the position will essentially pay for itself,” she said.

Another resident, asked if the facilities manager position is still being sought and if the salary is in the budget?  Yes, it is and it will continue to be advertised, replied Cooley.

So the new position isn’t in place of that person? asked the resident, No, it is not, was Cooley’s response.

“We estimate the total cost [Murphy’s salary] to be around $52,000,” added Whitney, when DeCato inquired.

Murphy was approved at Region 9’s budget meeting earlier in May for a part-time position as their adult education director. That salary is $79,825.

Moderator Vern Maxfield received a motion to merge articles 1-11 into one vote. All of the eleven articles were “cost centers” or breakdowns of department budgets. The motion passed as did the articles.

Article 12 and Article 13, both fell under the State’s Essential Programs and Services Funding Act. Article 12 was a breakdown of each of the four towns’ costs. Article 13 was approval of $3.7 million in local funds which exceeds the state’s required minimum. Both articles passed.

Article 14, which summarized the school budget, passed.

School Board Member Scott Cole made a motion to bundle articles 15 through 19 into one vote. Those articles addressed transfers among cost centers, adult education, school nutrition, expenditures of grants, and a transfer of $750, 000 to the capital reserve account.  Maxfield asked for questions. Only one came from the floor. What is the current balance of the capital account? $509, 819 was the response.

Articles 15-19 were passed and the meeting was adjourned.

The budget will next need to pass at the polls. Voting will be at the American Legion Mundt-Allen Post #81 in Bethel and at town offices in Greenwood, Newry and Woodstock on Tuesday, June 13 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

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