AMHERST — A $75.4 million operating budget for fiscal year 2024 that preserves most municipal and library services in Amherst, but will cause some staff reductions at the town’s three elementary schools, is approved by the Town Council.
With little discussion Monday, councilors voted unanimously, with District 1 Councilor Michele Miller absent, to support the budget prepared by Town Manager Paul Bockelman and his financial team, and recommended by the Finance Committee. The council in April approved separately the $17.77 million assessment for the Amherst-Pelham regional schools.
Broken down, the total $93.46 million spending plan includes $26.94 million for municipal operations, $25.93 million for the elementary schools and a $2.21 million contribution for the Jones Library. The budget also includes four enterprise funds: the $5.21 million water fund, the $5.29 million sewer fund, the $637,158 solid waste fund and the $738,085 transportation fund.
But by going with the recommendation in a May 31 report from Finance Committee, made up of five councilors and three nonvoting community members, the Town Council rejected the $84,000 sought by the Amherst School Committee beyond the 3% increase guideline set by the Town Council. The current year’s $25.18 million school budget will rise by $839,344, or 3.3%, but remains short of the $26.7 million needed to provide the same level of services at the schools as this year.
The Finance Committee, in its report, wrote, that $26.02 million ask by School Committee wasn’t justified, even as it came with an advisory for the administration to preserve full-time paraeducators at each of the three school’s libraries.
“There is no specific educational benefit cited as a reason for the additional appropriation and no indication about how it would be continued after FY24,” the Finance Committee wrote. “The rationale presented is contrary to longstanding policy, incorporated in the Council Budget Guidelines, that increases to operating budgets should be proportionately equal for schools, library, and municipal functions.”
This was similar to the process that played out a year ago, when the School Committee asked for an additional $53,000 for art and technology teachers. This, too, was turned down by councilors.
Council President Lynn Griesemer explained that the quick vote came because most councilors, even those not appointed to the Finance Committee, had attended its meetings and participated in the “rich discussions” about each element of the budget.
Prior to the vote, the council took brief oral public comment, with two residents speaking about the need to increase the budget for the Community Responders for Equity, Safety and Service department and calling to reduce the police budget.
Allegra Clark, a District 2 resident who called for the police reduction, also said it was disappointing that councilors asked the community to raise property taxes for the new elementary school project, but can’t find money to offset the layoffs of the library paraeducators.
“I think that it would be devastating to not have a library paraprofessional in the elementary school, and I think it would really affect all children’s access to the library as a really important resource for their learning,” Clark said.
For the schools, the budget still necessitates eliminating two classroom teacher positions and seven paraeducator slots across the district.
Bockelman previously expressed appreciation for the challenges and said he would form a School Fiscal Sustainability working group.
Other aspects included in the budget are $2.49 million dedicated for road and sidewalk improvements; capital spending of $40,000 for tree planting and $230,000 for better maintenance of the grass playing fields throughout town; $775,000 to go toward the purchase or lease of two electric school buses; $225,000 to buy three hybrid police cruisers; $200,000 for energy efficiency projects; and $22,000 for the sustainability operating budget.
On racial equity and social justice, the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion department stays intact, with $6,000 extra for training and community engagement.
The town is committing $1.8 million through its Community Preservation Act account to affordable projects, including the Way Finders Inc. plan to bring 70 apartments to East Amherst village center and Valley Community Development’s 30 homes on Ball Lane.
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.
