Portsmouth school budget calls for 2.6% hike in expenditures

$42.2M proposed spending plan seeks 2% increase from taxpayers

By Jim McGaw
Posted 3/25/22

PORTSMOUTH — The School Committee Tuesday night unanimously approved a $42.21 million budget for fiscal year 2023 that calls for a $1.07 million increase in expenditures — a …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Register to post events


If you'd like to post an event to our calendar, you can create a free account by clicking here.

Note that free accounts do not have access to our subscriber-only content.

Day pass subscribers

Are you a day pass subscriber who needs to log in? Click here to continue.


Portsmouth school budget calls for 2.6% hike in expenditures

$42.2M proposed spending plan seeks 2% increase from taxpayers

Posted

PORTSMOUTH — The School Committee Tuesday night unanimously approved a $42.21 million budget for fiscal year 2023 that calls for a $1.07 million increase in expenditures — a 2.6-percent hike over the current spending plan.

The proposal seeks to increase the town appropriation — the amount funded by taxpayers — from the current $35.37 million to about $36.09 million. That represents a hike of about $722,200, or a 2-percent increase.

Chris Diluro, the district’s director of finance and administration, pointed out that the first budget draft called for a 2.8-percent hike in expenditures and a 2.5-percent increase in the town appropriation. Administrators went through the spending plan and trimmed about $61,000, mainly through salary adjustments, a slight reduction in occupational therapists based on current trends, and a cheaper supply contract for natural gas.

The proposed 2.6-percent increase in the total budget is the largest over the past five years. Previously, the district has sought increases of 1.8 (FY19), 2.1 (FY20), 2.4 (FY21), and 1.5 (FY22) percent. However, Diluro pointed out that the 2-percent ask in the town appropriation matches the lowest request in the previous five years. 

Superintendent Thomas Kenworthy reported on the district’s surplus funds, which total $957,133. The includes $617,133 in the accumulated fund surplus (also known as the “rainy day” fund) — which represents about 1.5 percent of the operating budget per school board policy. The remaining is $340,000 in the OPEB (Other Post-Employment Benefits) fund balance.

Larry Fitzmorris, president of Portsmouth Concerned Citizens, said the district should consider investing OPEB funds, as the town does.

“I understand the market is an up-and-down business, but the risk of not investing is also substantial. That’s the route you’ve taken, and you’ve lost a lot of money. You are stewards of the people’s money,” Fitzmorris said.

The district also has $469,499 in surplus capital funds, as well as $145,858 in a restricted COVID fund which was created during the pandemic to use for any unanticipated COVID-related expenses. Kenworthy said that money will be used to fund three part-time nurse assistants next year.

Emily Copeland, who chairs the school board, said she was cautiously optimistic about the proposed spending plan. “I am a little nervous with inflation and gas prices and a couple of big unknowns,” she said. “But I really trust the administration. If they really say they can do it with 2 percent — good luck.”

Impact fees

In other business Tuesday night, the committee also voted unanimously to ask the Town Council, as part of the budget process, to approve the spending of $402,172 in impact fees for two capital improvement projects.

Impact fees are levied on certain new developments in town and used to provide new or an expansion of public facilities and infrastructure, including schools. The funds are available but they expire this year, which is why the district is making the request now. Diluro said using the impact fees does not impact the town’s operating budget.

The district wants to use the funds for two projects:

• $155,000 to remove carpeting and installing tile in 36 classrooms at the middle school

• $247,172 to replace the lighting at the turf field at the high school 

Diluro said the new lights would be LEDs, so they can be brightened or dimmed when appropriate. The cost includes a savings of $53,308 due to an expected rebate from National Grid, he said.

School calendar approved

The board also unanimously approved the 2022-2023 school calendar which sets the opening day for most students as Wednesday, Aug. 31. Students entering kindergarten, and grades 5 and 9 will report on Tuesday, Aug, 30, for orientation.

Labor Day is Monday, Sept. 5. This academic year, all students reported for the first day on Sept. 8.

The last day of school — barring any snow days — is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, June 30. The holiday recess is from Dec. 23 to Jan. 2. Winter recess is from Feb. 20-24 and spring recess from April 10-14.

This year the district added a day off for Yom Kippur on Oct. 5. Students also get Good Friday off on April 7, in front of the spring recess.

Kenworthy said the schedule basically follows a statewide calendar intended to keep other districts’ vacations aligned.

Unlike the current year, snow days will not be used as distance learning days. “I think parents will be very happy to have snow days rather than distance learning days,” Copeland said.

Change of venue

School Committee members will be switching things up when they gather for their next meeting on Tuesday, April 12.

They’ll meet at Portsmouth Middle School at 5:30 p.m. before being transported to Cloverbud Ranch further down Jepson Lane for a tour of the student-run AgInnovation Farm. The public is welcome. After that, there will be a regular committee meeting at 7 p.m. back at the school.

There will be no second April meeting, as school board members will be embroiled in budget discussions with the Town Council.

2024 by East Bay Media Group

Barrington · Bristol · East Providence · Little Compton · Portsmouth · Tiverton · Warren · Westport
Meet our staff
MIKE REGO

Mike Rego has worked at East Bay Newspapers since 2001, helping the company launch The Westport Shorelines. He soon after became a Sports Editor, spending the next 10-plus years in that role before taking over as editor of The East Providence Post in February of 2012. To contact Mike about The Post or to submit information, suggest story ideas or photo opportunities, etc. in East Providence, email mrego@eastbaymediagroup.com.