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Westborough committee reports possible $100,000 surplus, accepts $2,500 donation, ratifies labor contracts and creates facilities subcommittee
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Summary
Anita reported the district remains in stable condition at quarter three with a potential surplus of up to $100,000 (subject to Q4 spending), warned of special-education tuition and transport deficits, the committee accepted a $2,500 donation for tree plantings, ratified three two-year labor contracts, and voted to create a facilities and long-term capital planning subcommittee.
Anita, a district financial staff member, told the School Committee the quarter-three budget is "in stable condition" and said the district's "current potential surplus could be as high as $100,000," while cautioning that final Q4 payroll and purchase orders could change that figure.
She highlighted two special-education budget drivers projected to be in deficit—out-of-district tuition and specialized transportation—and said the district annually implements a spending freeze on nonessential purchases to manage potential shortfalls. Anita said staff are reviewing purchase orders now to determine which commitments can be reduced or reallocated.
During the meeting the committee accepted a donation tied to a sixth-grade tree-planting and Arbor Day activities. A motion to accept a monetary gift was made and seconded; the committee voted to accept the donation. The presented donation amount was $2,500 and was described in the agenda materials as from a community giving foundation to support plantings.
Superintendent Allison summarized recently negotiated collective-bargaining agreements: the district negotiated two-year contracts for administrative assistants (Unit C), custodians and food services, intentionally staggered as two-year agreements to balance future bargaining cycles. The contracts include cost-of-living adjustments and a variety of clarifications on longevity, uniforms and step requirements; the meeting transcript references COLA figures described in the discussion as "3 and 3 and a half." The chair moved and the committee ratified the bundled contracts.
Finally, the committee reconfigured committee assignments and voted to transform the budget-reporting subcommittee into a standing budget-and-finance subcommittee and to create a new facilities and long-term capital planning subcommittee with the chair and Steve named as members of each. The committee later voted by roll call to enter executive session to discuss personnel matters, citing the language read at the meeting (as read aloud) "chapter 38 section 21 subsection a subject section 3," and announced it would not reconvene in open session.
