Clarksburg Finance Committee Has Questions on School Budget
iBerkshires.com reports the Finance Committee and School Department are working through the budget for fiscal 2020 and trying to determine where some $94,000 in retirement insurance should land.
The Finance Committee wants it coming off the school's budget since it relates to retired school employees, but the School Department believes it should be the town's line item.
Committee member Mark Denault said the line item had been covered by school-choice funds last year with the agreement it would become a school expense.
It was no different, he said, than if a related line item came from the police or town or highway budget.
Northern Berkshire School Union Superintendent John Franzoni reminded the committee that he had taken over months after the budget was set and passed and was unaware of any agreement.
Cutting the Clarksburg School budget by nearly $100,000 could have an impact on staffing, Franzoni said. Also, it was not clear if the school should be responsible for that line item.
Finance Committee member James Stakenas, referring back to last year's budget discussions, said everybody's budget had been tight and it was a matter of finding the resources.
The committee agreed to meet with school officials again next Thursday, April 25, to get firmer numbers on the school-choice account and the insurance line item. Stakenas said he would articulate his questions again to Burnett so she could answer them next week.
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