Southport School Committee may propose a lower education budget to voters at the March town meeting. Committee members reviewed a proposal Dec. 13 calling for a $1,168,026 Fiscal Year 23 budget which is a 3.4% reduction. Alternative Organizational Structure 98 Superintendent Bob Kahler explained the reduction is due to fewer tuition students and an $8,000 reduction in AOS 98 system administration costs, all other expenditures, $34,700, increased 7.8%.

“It’s about as flat as you can get it,” Kahler said. The committee is considering spending the following amounts in each cost center: regular instruction, $714,662, decreased 6%; special instruction, $142,088, decreased 1.2%; other instruction, $10,500, no change; student and staff support, $19,800, increased 8.5%; system administration, $29,233, decreased 22.3%; school administration, $83,332, increased 5.6%; and transportation and buses, $37,447, increased 4%.

While overall spending is down, taxpayers would see a small increase in the local assessment based on the current proposal. The local assessment would increase by 0.1%. Kahler reported the current proposal would result in a  $1,036,060 assessment. 

On the revenue side, Southport is expecting $56,966 as a state education subsidy. 

The committee plans to finalize its FY 23 budget recommendation Jan. 3. 

In other action, the committee had a second reading of five proposed updated policies. The committee approved new language for conflict of interest, nepotism, board relationship with staff, workplace bullying, and child finding policies. Kahler reported changes in the policy were updates to mirror state regulation and guidelines language.

While some AOS 98 schools have started voluntary COVID-19 pooled testing, Southport isn’t ready. Voluntary pooled testing is a state program where 25 students in a school are tested once a week to detect if any students register positive for the virus. If a positive case is detected, the pool is tested individually to detect the infected person. Kahler reported the school still lacks enough manpower to begin pool testing. 

“We still don’t have enough people to perform the individual testing in case of a positive test, so pooled testing is on hold,” Kahler said in a Dec. 15 interview. 

The committee meets next at 4 p.m. Monday, Jan. 3 by Zoom conference in a special meeting to finalize its recommended FY 23 budget.