Westport's financial picture could come in to clearer focus over the next few weeks, following the Westport School Committee's approval last week of a $20.699 million school budget plan that would increase school spending by $1.2 million over what was approved by the select board and finance committee last year, prior to town meeting.

Town officials had been waiting for that school number for some time, after town administrator James Hartnett earlier this year introduced two possible municipal budget scenarios — one based on new municipal requests from the town's various departments and another, leaner version that cut $600,000 worth of departmental requests in favor of a tighter spending plan that covers little more than contractual obligations, fixed costs and other necessities. Along the way, he cut funding to the town planner position, reduced many line items and said throughout his review that admittedly, the cuts would be "tough."

In his calculations, Hartnett divvied up approximately $1 million in revenue growth between the town and schools this coming year. Under the 54/46 formula used to distribute that revenue, the budget's municipal side would get $460,000 (46 percent of new growth) and the schools would see a $540,000 increase, based on 54 percent of that new growth. That's less than half of the $1.2 million in new spending sought by the school board last week.

With the $20.699 million school budget now in hand, finance committee chairwoman Karen Raus said it is clear that more cuts could be necessary in order to balance school and town spending against expected revenues. Another option is floating a budget override, an idea favored by some select board and finance committee members in recent weeks, or using free cash to supplement budgets.

"The town is in a structural deficit, whereby the annual expense growth is outpacing the annual revenue growth," Raus said.

"Each year this 'net revenue/budget growth' number used to fund the budget decreases while the costs to maintain level municipal services increase. Each year the net revenue pool of dollars gets smaller and smaller, which means department expenses have to be cut."

The finance committee was expected to take its first look at the school plan Tuesday night, and members will continue to go over it with school officials in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, the select board will meet this coming Monday and will send its budget recommendations on to the finance board for review. The finance committee is expected to finalize its 2022-23 budget recommendations in March.

Raus said Monday that she hopes Westport residents will participate remotely in Monday's select board meeting (see town website for information on how to view the 6 p.m. meeting).

"The public is encouraged to speak up and voice any concerns," she said.

Aubin responds

A day after the school board approved the $20.699 million spending plan, superintendent Thomas Aubin echoed a refrain similar to those heard at recent municipal budget reviews before the select and finance boards: "We're bare bones."

"The budgets we have submitted are absolutely level service budgets based on contractual obligations (and) the increased costs of operating a new school," he said.

While school officials would have liked to put in more initiatives to help retain students, offer attractive programming that would keep them here, and expand curricular offerings, that hasn't been possible due to the local financial situation and the expected state aid Westport is due to receive.

"We're not looking for a level playing field, we're just looking for a playing field," he said.