Freetown-Lakeville committee: FY18 revenues steady; selectmen approve FY19 as schools plan to monitor special-education costs

The Freetown-Lakeville Regional School Committee received a FY18 budget progress report on May 23 that showed revenue holding steady and a larger-than-expected Medicaid reimbursement, while both Freetown and the Town of Lakeville have taken formal action to approve the district’s FY19 budget.

Committee members were told the revenue side of FY18 is “doing fairly well,” with Medicaid reimbursement about $40,000 more than anticipated. At the same time administrators said they remain cautious about expenditures and will monitor final payrolls and other year-end items before closing the books.

The committee was also told the town boards in both Lakeville and Freetown have voted to approve the district’s FY19 budget. A school official said the Freetown Finance Committee had not had a quorum on the date it met and planned to meet later this week to take formal action. Committee members said chairs of the selectmen and finance committees in both towns had signaled support for the school budget.

Committee members discussed a specific monitoring threshold for special-education tuition. Derek (school committee member) and other members asked administrators to identify and track the tuition line so the committee and towns could be alerted if costs reached the identified threshold described in the meeting as “01/25.” The committee agreed that, if expenditures exceed that threshold, it will ask the towns for additional funding rather than automatically drawing down reserve funds.

Administrators also reported the district is over the legal-services budget by about $65,000, driven largely by special-education and student-related legal work; the committee discussed trying to contain further legal spending for the remainder of the fiscal year. Committee members said they would confirm whether a potential $70,000 withdrawal from stabilization would require a two-thirds vote at Lakeville’s town meeting and seek clarification from the town moderator.

Other business discussed or scheduled by the committee: - Two procurement items will come to a future meeting: a one-year fuel bid and a three-year contract for wastewater-system management and testing. - Labor negotiations: the clerical and paraprofessional bargaining unit has requested to begin bargaining; the committee’s subcommittee planned an initial session in early June. - Hiring: a search committee reviewed 28 applicants for director of student services and sent two candidates to the district administrative team for interviews, with the school committee expecting a recommendation at its June 6 meeting. - Bus routes: administrators said summer updates are proceeding; some student ID numbers assigned now may change after final kindergarten enrollments.

Votes at a glance Approve minutes of May 9 — motion to approve the minutes of May 9; mover/second not specified in the record; outcome: approved unanimously (voice vote). Approve 2018–19 school committee calendar/schedule — motion and second recorded; after discussion the committee left the schedule as proposed; outcome: approved (voice vote).

The committee directed administration to provide a clear, line-item monitor for the special-education tuition amount so members and town officials can track any movement toward the identified threshold during the FY19 fiscal year. Committee members reiterated they expect to return to the towns for additional appropriation if special-education costs exceed the monitored amount.

The meeting opened and closed with ceremonial student presentations of the top-10 seniors; those remarks were delivered during the “presentations” portion and did not produce formal committee action. The committee recessed for refreshments and then resumed to complete the business above before adjourning.