Auburn School Committee leans on fund balance to meet $500,000 city reduction; approves advisory committee, iPad purchase and Harriman contract

The Auburn School Committee on April 16 discussed options to meet a City Council request for a $500,000 reduction to the school department portion of the FY2025–26 operating budget and signaled a preference to use fund balance rather than cut special-education tuition. The committee also approved several motions, including forming an AMS advisory committee, transferring $149,700 from a capital reserve to buy Grade 7 iPads and contracting with Harriman Associates for the facilities plan.

Superintendent Sue Doris brought the committee up to date on revenue and expense changes that reduced the proposed operating budget. "The increase came in at 13%. And we had budgeted for a 15% increase. So this results in a savings of $168,531," Doris said, and noted a lower-than-expected cost-sharing payment to LRTC that saved an additional $56,469. "So together, those updates reduced our operating budget by 225,000. So the revised proposed operating budget now stands at 557,892. That's an overall increase of 2,370,419 or 3.8% over last year's budget. And the local share is now 21,263,251 which is an increase of 508,513 or 2.5% over the previous year," she said.

The City Council has been discussing across-the-board cuts; city council representative Adam Platt said the informal council consensus has been a $500,000 reduction to the school department. "I think where it settled ... was a reduction of $500,000," Platt said. Under that target, the district would need an additional $275,000 reduction beyond the $225,000 already identified.

Staff presented two scenarios to reach the full $500,000: (1) increase the use of fund balance by $275,000 (bringing the budgeted draw from fund balance from $1,750,000 to roughly $2,025,000) or (2) reduce the special-education tuition line by $150,000 and take $125,000 from fund balance. Amanda Kuchar, the district business manager, noted audit timing and estimates for available reserves: "So with the FY 24 audit still incomplete, we're going with my estimations here ... if we went with the 2,025,000 first scenario, we would have just under 3,000,000 left," Kuchar said, adding that the statutory 5% threshold would be about $3,200,000 under next year’s budget.

Committee members voiced concern about cutting the special-education tuition line because it is volatile and tied to students who may need out-of-district placements. One member said the district has few vacancies this spring and another noted the long-term risk of relying repeatedly on fund balance. Several members said they favored using fund balance this year to avoid immediate reductions to positions or services; the discussion concluded with a clear preference — though not a formal vote — toward the fund-balance option if the council holds to the $500,000 figure.

Chair Pamela Albert said the committee will hold a special meeting on Wednesday, April 30 at 6 p.m. to vote on the final budget so the budget can be transmitted to the City Council for its May 5 meeting and placed on the June 10 citizen referendum ballot.

Votes at a glance - Approval of the consent agenda (including tonight’s agenda, minutes from April 2 and certified contract renewals): motion carried. (No detailed roll call provided.) - Formation of an AMS Advisory Committee: motion carried. - Transfer of $149,700 from the technology equipment capital reserve fund to purchase Grade 7 iPads: motion carried. - Contract between the Auburn School Department and Harriman Associates for the duration of the facilities plan: motion carried.

The committee discussed next steps if the City Council presses for deeper reductions; members said they would return with alternative scenarios, including more direct program or position reductions, if required. The district’s auditors may alter final fund-balance estimates when FY2024 audit work is complete, a factor members said could change the final recommendation.