In Plymouth, the Select Board at their meeting on the 10th, hosted a joint session with the School Committee and the Advisory and Finance Committee to review again the proposed fiscal 2024 school budget, originally presented to the Select Board last month. School officials have been consistent in limiting budget reductions to preserve the quality of education they deliver.
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Christopher Campbell, says the fiscal 2024 budget is a 4.53% increase over the current fiscal year…
“The town would like to see us reduce that budget by an additional eight hundred thousand dollars, but that is not something that has been supported by the School Department and the School Committee.”
And, according to Campbell, the reduction the town is requesting is a cause for concern..
“Our concern, the School Committee’s concern is that we would see a reduction in force quite significantly if we did that. As I mentioned in my presentation—we would see a reduction of at least four administrators as well as seven to ten additional staff within the School Department.”
Advisory and Finance Committee Chair Kevin Canty advised that his group has yet to review the school budget, and stated that the school subcommittee will begin that process on January 26th. There was no comment from the Select Board.
The School Department educates approximately seven thousand three hundred students, and, speaking during public comment following the School Department’s presentation, Precinct 18 Town Meeting Member, Pat McCarthy, noted that the School Budget, as presented, would add $26.52 to the average tax bill.
