The new school year is now underway. But in Barre, uncertainty hangs over the district, where students returned to the classroom this month despite there being no budget yet in place.
The school board has once again cut its spending plans, and scheduled a fourth budget vote for Tuesday, Sept. 17. Early voting has begun.
In the spring, nearly one in three school budgets failed at the ballot box on Town Meeting Day. Since then, all districts save Barre have gotten their residents to agree to a spending plan, although it has in some cases taken three, four and even five votes to get to yes.
Barre’s dubious distinction as last across the finish line has been a drag on morale for teachers, students and parents alike, according to superintendent JoAn Canning, who stepped into her position this summer.
“They don't want to be in a district where their school budget is the last to be voted on in the state of Vermont — the one that's in the paper for going to the fourth vote,” she said. “I mean, that causes a culture issue.”
Canning has been campaigning vigorously for the budget's passage, making stops at the city council and local community events, and working with volunteers to phone bank.
Her message has been simple: The school district has other matters to attend to — including building next year's budget — and it's time to move on.
"Please help us turn the page," she said.
They don't want to be in a district where their school budget is the last to be voted on in the state of Vermont ... That causes a culture issue.JoAn Canning, superintendent
At the root of this string of budget failures across Vermont: sharp spikes in taxes. Statewide, property tax bills went up an average of 14% this summer. But in Barre, school officials are trying to impress upon residents that the budget before them would actually result in far more modest increases.
A district’s tax rate is based on its spending per pupil, and Barre spends far under the state average. If this budget passes, Barre City residents are set to see increases around 1%; in Barre Town, the average increase would be just shy of 3%.
“I'm not going to say that it doesn't affect people. That's not the message, but I'm hoping that they can see that that increase is reasonable,” Canning said.
The spending plan now before Barre’s voters totals $56.8 million — a more than $2 million reduction from the budget residents first considered in March. A divided school board arrived at this latest figure by cutting several vacant positions from the budget, and by dipping heavily into district reserves.
If a school district hasn’t yet had a successful budget vote by the time the new fiscal year begins on July 1, it can borrow up to 87% of the prior year’s budget to maintain operations. It can also use partial state aid and federal funds. So far, that state and federal cash has allowed Barre to make payroll without having to spend borrowed money, and Canning expressed optimism that a successful vote next week could spare Barre from interest payments.
“Let’s hope that’s not going to happen,” she said.
More from Vermont Public: Some Vermont schools will ban cellphones this year
The Barre school district includes two communities: the historically working-class Barre City and the more affluent and suburban Barre Town. Longstanding divisions between the two municipalities have been on full display during the budget process, where a bloc of board members from Barre Town has continually asked for further cuts.
At a special board meeting in late August to finalize the budget, several board members from the town again insisted on additional cuts. One town school board member, Nancy Leclerc, argued that she was simply being financially responsible.
“We need to carefully consider the financial implications of declining student numbers, student-to-teacher ratios and how our budget impacts both taxpayers and students,” she said.
We need to carefully consider the financial implications of declining student numbers, student-to-teacher ratios and how our budget impacts both taxpayers and students.Nancy Leclerc, town school board member
In emotional public comments, teachers pleaded with board members who were calling for less spending to compromise. And board members who supported the spending proposal argued that by most metrics, the district’s budget was more frugal than nearly all others in the state, and reiterated that they would support no further cuts.
“To say that this isn’t going to impact students is a farce. This is a lie you’re telling yourselves so that you can feel better and sleep at night,” Sonya Spaulding, a school board member from the city, told her colleagues.
The board ultimately endorsed the latest budget proposal 5-3.
More from Vermont Public: To stay open, Windham Elementary fought for independence. It closed anyway
Barre City’s residents narrowly passed the budget in all three prior votes, while a larger majority of voters in Barre Town have rejected the budget each time.
School board chair Michael Boutin, who has endorsed the budget each time, has attempted to keep the peace. In an interview, he said he was optimistic the budget would finally pass, and that he did not want to dwell on the town and city split. Doing so, he said, would only lead to more division.
“We have to look at our district holistically. Because we are Barre Unified Union School District,” he said.
The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sept. 17. Barre City residents vote at the Barre municipal auditorium at 16 Auditorium Hill; Barre Town residents vote at the Barre Town Elementary and Middle School at 70 Websterville Rd.
Have questions, comments, or tips? Send us a message.
_
