School board to hold budget hearing

Proposed spending package reflects decrease

WINSTED >> Town residents will have the chance to consider the proposed Winsted school budget for the 2017-18 fiscal year during a public hearing set for tonight.

The hearing will be held at 7 p.m. at the Pearson School, according to an announcement posted on the town website.

Town Manager Robert Geiger proposed a $20.1 million allocation for the public schools Monday evening, as he proposed a 2017-18 fiscal year budget for the community.

This would represent a $347,454 decrease over the current fiscal year, in total, as the “Town Support for Education” line item — newly instituted this past year — would be diminished to $200,000.

These funds are to be used solely for “non-educational purposes.” In the past year, it was used for the maintenance of the former Hinsdale School, among other purposes.

The allocation specifically for town schools would remain at $19.96 million, the minimum allowable under state law, under Geiger’s proposed budget.

The school budget has remained at $19.96 million since 2008, according to past reporting.

Receiver Freeman Burr said in an email Thursday that administrators had presented a budget based on this proposed $20.1 million to the Board of Education Tuesday evening.

Board members do not have to approve a proposed budget at this time,

Burr said, as the district is in receivership.

Burr said the latest budget proposal would be posted on the district website within 24 hours of Thursday afternoon, although no such documentation had been posted alongside past proposals as of Friday evening.

He did not respond to follow-up messages seeking comment and/ or a copy of the proposal Thursday or Friday.

Burr presented a $20.77 million budget proposal to the board March 1, the school district reported, which included funding for the hiring of a new Superintendent and included staffing scenarios based on potential allocations for The Gilbert School.

Geiger said Monday that the board had since offered a $20.4 million budget plan.

REGISTER CITIZEN FILE PHOTO A school budget hearing will be held Monday at Pearson Middle School in Winsted.