School committee accepts nine‑month budget projection, approves nurse pay rise and vendor contracts
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Summary
The Pittsfield School Committee accepted a nine‑month budget projection showing a modest surplus, approved higher daily rates for substitute and relief nurses, awarded a three‑year fuel contract, and approved line-item transfers; officials also heard a cooperative education report and approved an international field trip.
The Pittsfield School Committee accepted a nine‑month budget projection, approved several operational contracts and rate changes, and heard student-work-based learning updates during Monday's meeting.
Budget snapshot and projection: Assistant Superintendent Behnke presented the nine‑month budget projection and said the district currently projects a surplus of $56,978. Behnke warned that contracting for temporary services and filling vacancies with agency providers — notably nursing and special-education services — is costing significantly more than in-house staffing and that some lines (legal services, special education contracted services, bus maintenance and special-education transportation) show projected deficits that will require transfers.
Substitute/relief nurse pay increase: The committee approved a motion to increase the per‑diem rate for substitute and relief nurses from $200 to $325, a half‑day rate to $162.50, and hourly additional-hours pay to $45. The administration said the higher rates respond to market conditions and aim to fill vacancies.
Fuel contract: The committee awarded a three‑year fuel bid to Global Montello Group Corporation of Waltham, Massachusetts, for diesel and gasoline used by district buses and vehicles. The contract includes a discount off posted pump price; administration said the discount being offered this round (~14¢ off) was higher than usual and favorable.
Line-item transfers: The committee approved line-item budget transfers to cover shortfalls in legal services and other cost-center adjustments; the administration provided documentation showing transfers between utility and legal-service lines and noted additional internal transfers would be reflected in upcoming budget reports.
Cooperative education and field trip approvals: The committee heard a report that Taconic High School co-op students worked in a wide range of industries, with students earning an estimated $258,000 in the 2024–25 school year and an average wage of about $17 per hour. The committee approved a student field trip to the Bay of Naples, Rome and Pompeii (Feb. 13–20, 2026) as outlined in the enclosure for the request.
Votes at a glance (recorded in open session): - Accept superintendent's report: approved (voice vote) - Accept nine‑month budget projection: approved (voice vote) - Increase substitute/relief nurse rates (per diem to $325): approved (voice vote) - Award fuel bid to Global Montello Group Corporation: approved (voice vote) - Approve line-item transfers (enclosure #5): approved (voice vote) - Approve international field trip to Bay of Naples/Rome/Pompeii (Feb. 13–20, 2026): approved (voice vote)
Why it matters: The nurse-rate change is intended to make short‑term coverage more attractive and reduce reliance on expensive contracted nurses; the fuel contract and transfers address operational continuity. The nine‑month projection highlights pressure points — special‑education tuition and transportation, bus maintenance, and contracted service costs — that administrators said they will monitor and address ahead of final budget adoption.