The School Committee received two updates related to district facilities and town finances on Thursday: a facilities update on the Clark property MOU and a plan for a joint, compact budget discussion with town leaders on Nov. 6.

Facilities director (name given in meeting) and Superintendent Jason Kalishman told the committee that the select board reviewed the proposed memorandum of understanding (MOU) about Clark but did not vote; select board members raised questions about maintenance and utilities and are discussing the proposal internally.

"They did not vote on it yet," Kalishman said, explaining that select board members had questions about upkeep and whether ongoing utilities and maintenance were budgeted. He said the rec department’s proposed role in taking over Clark remains under consideration and that, because signatures and participants may change, the MOU will likely return to the School Committee if the town proceeds.

Why this matters: Clark’s status affects available facilities for school and community programming and ties directly to the town’s capital and operating budgets.

Joint fiscal meeting planned for Nov. 6
Kalishman described a plan to use the committee’s Nov. 6 meeting as a "mini summit" with the select board, the finance committee and members of the capital improvements group to surface capital priorities, share five‑ to ten‑year forecasts and identify short‑term decisions needed before budget season. Kalishman and town officials said the meeting would be public and is intended to produce actionable next steps rather than be purely informational.

Town finance context
Committee members said town finance staff and the finance committee had warned that last year’s use of excess levy capacity was not likely to be repeatable and that routine budget increases in town spending will likely be higher than the traditionally assumed 2.2 percent. Kalishman said Cheryl (a town finance official referenced in the meeting) described a long‑term forecast in the "high threes to high fours" (percent) for annual increases.

Committee members and staff agreed to circulate minutes and follow‑up notes from an earlier staff meeting; the superintendent said minutes will be distributed to committee members and select‑board staff. No formal vote or binding decision on Clark or on fiscal policy was taken at Thursday’s meeting.

Next steps
- Select board to continue internal discussion and to vote on the Clark MOU; if approved by the select board, the MOU will come back to the School Committee for signatures and any vote required.
- Nov. 6 School Committee meeting planned as a joint session with select board, finance committee and capital improvements group to discuss five‑year capital priorities and immediate budget implications.
- Superintendent to distribute minutes and staff notes to committee members as they become available.