Promises, Promises

 Promises, Promises

Random thoughts this fine Friday. 

Here in Baldwinville, the temperature is 44 degrees (feels like 39). Does anyone know if Narragansett has heat yet? How's that wood chip boiler installation coming along?

There was an article in the Worcester Telegram (see below) about Bay Path returning money to its member towns due to the increase in the regional transportation line item in the state budget. The original promise made to towns was that if you regionalized the transportation costs would be reimbursed 100%. While that has never happened, please thank Sen. Brewer for increasing regional transportation to 90 %.

Here in Templeton, we will never see any money back from the increase in regional transportation. The money that should be returned to both Templeton and Phillipston will probably be used to pay for the propane costs until the wood chip boiler is installed. Don't think that was the intent of the state legislature when they increased regional school transportation. So. How's that wood chip boiler installation coming along?

 The State legislature recently enacted a revival of the -
 Foundation Budget Review Commission
 Summary:
This section updates the law establishing a Foundation Budget Review Commission to review the way in which foundation budgets for elementary and secondary education are calculated and to make recommendations to the Legislature about changes that may be appropriate.

I would feel better knowing if one or two of the 21 members of this commission were municipal representatives from towns with regional schools.

My opinion...supported by FACTS ! ! !

Julie Farrell

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Bay Path towns to get rebates on busing bills
By Debbie LaPlaca CORRESPONDENT

CHARLTON — Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School officials are returning $100,451 in surplus busing aid to the school's towns by way of a credit on their next bill.

"Given the perennially tight municipal budgets of its member communities, the school committee voted to return the excess to the municipalities it serves," Superintendent-Director John A. Lafleche said Tuesday.

Months after most school budgets had been adopted, the state upped its budget for transportation reimbursements by $18.7 million over last year.

Regional school districts statewide were to receive 90 percent state reimbursement for busing costs, or 26 percent more than last year.

At a school committee meeting Monday, Business Manager Dean Iacobucci said the 90 percent was $231,875 more than what was budgeted for Bay Path.
A 65.2 percent reimbursement of $727,219 was in the district's budget, based on the governor's budget numbers released in January.

The state law governing public schools was amended in 1952 to encourage regionalization, with the promise of 100 percent reimbursement for transportation costs.

That promise has not been met.

Regional school districts received 66.4 percent reimbursement last year. The remaining costs fall to the school districts' towns.

The work toward a 26 percent increase this year was led by state Sen. Richard T. Moore, D-Uxbridge, who serves as Senate president pro tempore, and Sen. Stephen M. Brewer, D-Barre, chairman of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means and co-chairman of the State Budget Conference Committee.

The two senators represent towns in 18 regional school districts, including Bay Path.

Mr. Lafleche extended his thanks to the senators and to the entire legislative delegation.

After factoring in the increased costs of a three-year busing contract approved in June, Mr. Iacobucci said, the transportation aid surplus stands at $100,451.

The surplus will be divided proportionally among the towns and will appear as a credit on their Dec. 1 assessment bills.

Auburn will receive a $7,373 credit; Charlton, $16,876; Dudley, $11,461; North Brookfield, $4,350; Oxford, $13,410; Paxton, $1,597; Rutland, $3,195; Southbridge, $16,695; Spencer, $13,681, and Webster, $13,681.