The $16.4 million budget represents a $55,291, or 0.34 percent, increase over the current budget.
HUNTINGTON - A public hearing on Gateway Regional School District’s $16.4 million level-funded education budget did not attract as many residents as officials had hoped, but the relatively low turnout was not unexpected.
“I was disappointed that not every town was represented, but it was not unexpected,” said Schools Superintendent David B. Hopson. “We never get a big turnout unless we’re doing something that entices people to come.”
At least one town official from each of the seven member towns, with the exception of Blandford, attended the Wednesday night hearing in the high school performing arts center.
Compared to last year’s budget process when the School Committee was in the midst of unveiling a school reconfiguration plan that resulted in the closing of Blandford and Russell elementary schools, as well as Worthington’s R.H. Conwell Elementary School, the 2012 fiscal year spending plan adoption is moving along smoothly, Hopson said.
“It was a pretty tame public hearing,” he added.
A “pleasant change,” Hopson said, was not hearing officials from Chester, Huntington, Middlefield, Montgomery, Russell or Worthington say the cost of educating the district’s students is too high.
“No one said they can’t afford to pay,” he noted. “No one looked at it and said this is an outrageous budget.”
In fact, the $16.4 million bottom line represents just a $55,291, or 0.34 percent, increase over the current budget and $1,597 in average increases to local town assessments.
The proposed assessments for the 2012 fiscal year amount to $1,479,448 for Blandford, $1,457,911 for Chester, $2, 225,118 for Huntington, $534,702 for Middlefield, $1,025,678 for Montgomery, $1,813,553 for Russell and $1,224,917 for Worthington.
Only one community has indicated it will not support an increase in its assessment.
Russell Finance Committee Chairman Philip T. Winterson told the School Committee his town will not support the proposed $80,576 increase to its contribution.
“We’re looking at level funding,” he said. “The Finance Committee met and reached a consensus that we would ask the School Committee to look at reducing expenditures instead of asking the towns for more money.”
The School Committee is expected to take a vote on the budget during the regular March 9 meeting, which will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the high school library. The spending plan must then be approved by the voters of each community at their annual Town Meeting.
At least five towns must pass the budget for it to be ratified.