AMHERST — A $32.17 million budget for the Amherst-Pelham Regional School District received unanimous approval from the Town Council Monday bringing it one step closer to being adopted.
With no discussion at its meeting, following a positive recommendation from the Finance Committee, the council voted 12-0 in favor of Amherst’s $16.44 million share of the fiscal year 2020 school budget.
The figure is $398,975, or about 2½ percent, higher than this year’s $16.05 million assessment.
The regional budget assessments need to be accepted by voters in three of the four regional towns to be approved. Leverett, Shutesbury and Pelham will be holding their annual Town Meetings over the next few weeks.
The budget, which covers expenses for the high school and middle school, does not include major changes, and no one from the public attended a recent forum on the budget.
Some of the budget additions include $160,000 for seven special education paraeducators at the middle school and $60,000 for a climate coordinator to expand restorative practices at the middle school, while reductions include $60,000 for three special education paraeducators at the high school.
In 2018, the budget featured more significant adjustments, including the elimination of the culinary and preschool programs at the high school and the move of the Summit Academy from South Amherst to the high school.
The assessments for all four towns depend on a revision to the regional school budget formula which must be accepted by each town. Representatives from the four towns tentatively agreed to this change at a meeting March 2, and the Town Council unanimously supported this revision.
District 1 Councilor Cathy Schoen said Amherst’s share of the overall budget is dictated by the assessment method, and there is hope that it can be used this year and next year.
“This assesment method we’re hoping will hold for two years,” Schoen said.
The three smaller towns must approve the formula change for it to go into effect.
Town Manager Paul Bockelman said this will only be known once the Town Meetings have been held.
“There is general agreement that it’s the best path forward for the entire district,” Bockelman said.
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.
