WHITMAN — Faced with notification that the Mass. Interlocal Insurance Association (MIAA) is no longer interested in insuring unoccupied buildings — and a tight budget scenario for the next two years — Selectmen voted Tuesday, April 25 to “roll the dice” against authorizing a private insurance policy on the vacant Park Avenue School.

Such a policy could cost between $14,000 and $16,000 per year that is not in the budget, according to Town Administrator Frank Lynam.

The brick, wood-frame school building is vacant and boarded up on a parcel of land deeded to a trust to the town by the Clark family in 1947 “for school purposes only.”

“The difficulty for us is those last four words, said Lynam, who plans to petition the Attorney General’s office for permission to change the use of the building. He said the town’s argument would be that no one could have foreseen that the town would someday no longer need the school when the property was placed in trust to the town. The school was built in 1951.

“We would not be insured for replacement value in any event,” Lynam said. “The only insurance we would have, as we sit today, is coverage for maintenance if there was minor damage to the frame or removal if it was damaged to the point where it had to be torn down.”

Razing the building would cost between $100,000 and $150,000 he estimated, but Lynam stressed nothing could be done until the town receives a release from the Attorney General’s office. A sticking point in past plans to seek such a ruling had been hampered in the past by a transfer of a small portion of the property, to square off a neighboring property line in 1977, that could be considered a violation of the trust, Lynam said. Town Meeting had approved that transfer.

“I’m at a point where this building is simply an albatross to us right now,” he said. “We’re not spending money to maintain it, but I’m concerned about having a vacant building sitting there year after year.”

Lynam noted that, should funds be available, there are municipal needs that could be met by renovating the building, but that nothing can be done until the Attorney General’s office determines whether the town is bound by the trust. If it is, he will seek a court order to return the gift to the Clark family’s heirs. Renovation could cost the town $4 to $5 million.

“We are moving forward,” Lynam said.

Selectman Brian Bezanson agreed with Lynam’s recommendation against seeking private insurance.

“I would suggest, in light of our budgetary concerns, that maybe we should just roll the dice for the time being and hope we can push the Attorney General’s office,” he said.

Selectmen Vice Chairman Dan Salvucci, running the meeting in the absence of Chairman Dr. Carl Kowalski, said it made little sense to insure the building without complete control of ownership.

“Something happens to the building, we’re on the hook to put a big fence around it until we can appropriate the money to clean it up,” Selectman Scott Lambiase agreed, noting that a private insurance policy would only provide general liability protection.

Lynam said the decision not to insure could also spur quick resolution on the building’s future.

In other business, Selectmen voted to approve the application of RPM Motorsports LLC under the ownership of Richard P. McCabe, for a Class II Auto Dealer’s License at 40R Warren Ave.

General Manager Paul Kearns explained the business, which restores high-end cars such as Corvettes for sales by appointment only. The cars would be stored indoors and only six would be on site at any one time, Kearns said.

Selectmen also approved the application of Keith A. Gutierrez DBA Ace Transporter, which had been delayed when Lynam’s office had difficulty reaching him by mail at his 146 South Ave. #19 address. Gutierrez said he had inquired with the Post Office less than a week ago about the whereabouts of a certified letter sent in March and returned to Town Hall on Monday, April 24.

“They said they had nothing for me there,” Gutierrez said. “I suppose whoever I spoke with didn’t know it got sent back already. I was waiting for some notification in the mail.” He did receive a more recent letter.

He receives customer calls on his cell phone, and a few via Google, Yelp or Facebook for his one-vehicle business.

There will be no Proposition 2½ override sought to fund the school budget this year, but town and school officials alike warn that voters will likely face one next May for the fiscal 2019 budget.

In fact, a committee will begin the work of making that case during a Monday, June 12 meeting.

School Committee members unanimously voted on Wednesday, April 12 for the 8.5-percent assessment increase both towns indicated can be funded for fiscal 2018 to provide level services to school children.

In dollars, the assessment would be $1,107,435 for Whitman and $479,670 in Hanson — including the shift in student population. The committee had voted an 11.5-percent assessment increase last month.

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ruth Gilbert-Whitner said the district was able to put forth a level-service budget with an 8.5-percent increase  only after some cost cutting including:

• Spreading payments for McGraw-Hill curriculum materials over two years to save $100,000 this year;

• Waiving the July 1 advisory date for teachers wishing to take early retirement this year — with retirements so far saving about $200,000;

• Moving some costs to revolving funds, including athletic coaches’ salaries for a $30,000 savings;

• Elimination of the position of assistant superintendent for teaching and learning and one teaching position, which was due to declining enrollment; and

• The likelihood of an increase in regional transportation reimbursement from the state. The independent food services department was also asked to contribute a greater amount toward its energy use in providing school meals.

Full-day kindergarten, estimated to cost about $400,000 was never included in the fiscal 2018 level-service budget. The appointment April 12 of Kyle Riley to replace departing Special Education Administrator Dr. John Quealy also has no effect on the budget.

“As superintendent, I’m very concerned about the success of an override, particularly after the fairly resounding defeat last year,” Gilbert-Whitner said. “We were able to make some reductions that would not require losing staff down to a 9-percent [assessment] increase. It would be a minimal loss of positions at 8.5 percent.”

The overall budget is up by about 4 percent due mainly to additional funds voted at the end of the last school year to address class size as well as library staff at the elementary and middle schools and increased insurance costs.

Whitman Town Administrator Frank Lynam said the problem for his town came down to simple math, beginning with last year’s levy limit of  $23,125,376 plus 2 ½ percent ($578134) and $275,000 in new growth and personal property taxes. This year, $853,134 was added to available cash. The town began the budget process with $1.3 million in capital articles, many of which were requested by the schools. The requests by WHRSD this year increased by $1,441,007.

Lynam said the Finance Committee voted April 11 an assessment increase that brought Whitman’s share of the school budget to $12,064,000 — an 8.5-percent increase.

“We have virtually eliminated the capital articles from within the town because the money just isn’t there,” Lynam said, noting there are significant equipment needs such as a 19-year-old DPW truck and an unreliable sidewalk plow. “When I say to you we are at our limit — we are. We’re not only at it, we’re beyond it.”

Whitman voters are also being asked to support an override to fund three additional firefighters.

“We would have to do a heck of a lot of education and information” to make an override for the schools successful next year, Lynam said.

Lynam had asked the Whitman Board of Selectmen to meet at 10 a.m., Friday, April 14 in case an override vote was necessary to avoid the need to call for a June special election for a school override in Whitman. That meeting was cancelled after the School Committee voted to back an 8.5-percent assessment increase.

An override this year would, “waste a shot at presenting an override that is comprehensive,” Lynam said.

“I want to put together a comprehensive analysis that says ‘here’s why we need it, here’s how we’ll do it and here’s what it’s going to take,’” he said.

Hanson Selectmen Chairman James McGahan agreed there is a need to “let people know what is at stake here.”

“If we pass the budget we’re asking you to pass today, we’ll squeak through this year,” Lynam said. “Next year, if we don’t do something to increase our revenue, we many not even be in a position to offer a level-funded budget. Our growth is not going to change much.”

Whitman School Committee member Robert Trotta said he has heard that call before, but little had come of it in the past. Lynam agreed that has happened, but said the situation has now reached critical mass. Hanson School Committee member Robert O’Brien agreed, but said Lynam’s suggestion of a committee of school, town officials, finance committee members and selectmen makes sense.

“We had a lot of [state] help from 1992 to around 2007,” he said. “Now it’s reality — it’s not going up anymore.”

He said his seven grandchildren mean he has a vested interest in seeing to it that their generation have the educational opportunities other children have had.

Hanson Finance Committee Chairman Michael Dugan said information on the budget situation’s impact of graduation rates would help make the argument that more funds were needed. But school officials said that information may not be known for years.

“The problem is the wheels of the bus are falling off,” said School Committee member Fred Small. “They’re falling off for the kids that are in third grade, fourth grade, fifth grade — you’re not going to see the impact on graduation rates [until] six, seven, eight years from now.”

He said the schools don’t need what has been asked for — they need much more to do the job properly.

“We’re talking about replacing textbooks that have countries in them that don’t exist any more, that have planets in them that aren’t planets anymore,” Small said. “Basics. That’s what we’re talking about with this budget.”

Gilbert-Whitner said the district has depended on grants that are in danger of elimination under the Trump administration.

WHITMAN — With about $56,000 now separating what the town can commit to the school district, and what W-H is seeking within the fiscal 2018 budget, Selectmen have voted to issue the special and annual Town Meeting warrants.

Town Administrator Frank Lynam said $12,064,195 has been voted for schools  by the Finance Committee — a budget increase of $1,444,007. He said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ruth Gilbert-Whitner told him that, without $12,119,787 — which represents a 9-percent assessment increase — “they’re going to need to seek funding through an override.”

“I’ve been working on these right up until this afternoon,” Lynam said of the warrants on which the Board of Selectmen voted Tuesday, April 11. “This whole budget has been a moving, living item.” There will be 10 articles on the special Town Meeting warrant, which is prepared for publication, and about 65 on the annual warrant.

The Fire Department will be seeking a $310,000 override for increased staffing on this year’s Town Meeting warrant and Town Election. Selectmen also voted Tuesday to place the Fire Department override request on the annual Town Election ballot.

Fire Chief Timothy Grenno expressed confidence after the meeting that residents would see the need for that request.

“I think the taxpayers support the Fire Department and, with the presentation that we’re going to put on to show them the needs and the staffing levels that we currently run at, the demand for service that we’re currently confronted with, I think that they’ll understand it’s not a wish list, that it’s a need assessment for us,” Grenno said.

The Selectmen would have had to vote April 11 to call for a school override on the annual Town Election ballot, and are required to have a specific amount before taking such a vote.

Should the schools decide at a later date — inlcuding the School Committee’s scheduled meeting on Wednesday, April 12 — to seek an override, a special election would be required. Such a move would cost the town $6,000 to hold that election.

“I talked to the chairman of the FinCom [Michael Minchello] and he said that they’re done with Article 2 and, depending on the items that are in the annual Town warrant, that they’re able to give a pretty good-sized percentage for the operating budget for Whitman-Hanson,” Selectman Dan Salvucci said.

Salvucci said that the possible removal of a capital project at Town Meeting, could help avoid a special election to fund the shortfall.

“I recognize that the School Department is making an effort to find a way to make this work,” Lynam said. “The superintendent feels that, if we can come up with that additional $56,000 she will be able to recongifure things in such a way that this year they will not have to lay anyone off.”

“They’re not crying wolf, there’s some real issues,” Lynam said. “But, at the same time, we have issues in some of the other departments, as well.”

Police and Fire chiefs have already withdrawn some requests, he noted. Lynam said he discussed the budget with Gilbert-Whitner Tuesday morning.

“We talked about what we had pegged for an apropriation,” he said of his talk with Gilbert-Whitner.

Lynam said he has asked the schools to work with town officials to come up with a minimally acceptable figure to avoid putting the town in override position for the schools because he thinks next year’s budget will be tougher.

“There’s going to have to be a lot of analysis and education directed toward next year’s budget,” he said. “I think going for an override of $400,000 this year is not going to solve the problem.”

Salvucci said he feels if the schools do not accept the Finance Committee’s recommedation, and Town Meeting supports a school override on the election, the town will be looking at the need for budget cuts.

The Finance Committee was meeting with school officials Tuesday night to discuss some of the articles Lynam is not recommending due to a lack of funding.

Selectmen voted to issue the special Town Meeting warrant and to authorize the annual Town Meeting warrant “with the understanding that some articles will be removed prior to publication,” according to Lynam.

In other business, Selectmen granted a request from the Recreation Commission for an expenditure of $4,500 from the World War II Memorial Field Fund to replace the fence around the basketball and street hockey court behind the police station. The fund, in existence since the field was designated, has been used very conservatively as it holds a small amount of cash — about $18,000 — and when no other funding is available, Lynam explained.

Selectmen also accepted of the gift of a 1910-15 Henry Miller mahogany baby grand piano with ivory keys from Fred Gilmetti on behalf of the Eileen Regan family.

“The piano is showing it’s age although it is quite beautiful,”said Assistant Town Administrator Lisa Green. “I would like to look into foundations and maybe seek a grant to help us restore the piano.”

Green also outlined plans to seek a grant from the Mass DEP Recovery Program to finance recycling programs in order to reduce town waste.

Selectmen scheduled hearing date for O’Toole’s Pub for Tuesday, May 9. The hearing will be the only item on that agenda.

HANSON — Selectmen have delayed voting to approve and sign a new contract agreement with the Whitman-Hanson Community Access Corp., pending the answers to remaining questions from the board and some residents. An incomplete state financial review of WHCA also concerns town officials.

During their Tuesday, April 4 meeting, the board also revisited warrant articles they had placed, but had not yet voted to recommend to voters at the May 1 Town Meeting.

Selectman Bruce Young asked where Whitman stands with its WHCA contract.

“They’re waiting to see what Hanson does, because in the past the contracts were the same,” said WHCA Board Director Arlene Dias of Hanson.

“We haven’t signed it up until now, so I think what this would mean, if we waited until that time, is that we would continue to conduct business as we do,” said Selectman Chairman James McGahan. “I don’t think anything’s in jeopardy by not signing it tonight.”

Town Administrator Michael McCue said he believed most of Selectmen’s questions about the contract had been satisfied in the revised version after a matrix for reporting requirements was inserted. Among the items on the matrix are a copy of the 501(C) 3 nonprofit designation to be filed with the towns each February, financial and annual reports each May, inventory equipment lists and insurance policies in February, and meeting minutes.

Selectmen would also like an in-person quarterly report on WHCA projects.

Dias said the nonprofit status is designed to protect the towns from liability. There are supposed to be four representatives on the board from each town, but there are currently three from Hanson and one from Whitman with another Whitman resident joining at the next meeting.

“One of the items we’ve talked about, too, is possibly getting more programs recorded for more meetings,” McGahan said. “What we’re having is a problem getting volunteers.”

He and former volunteer videographer Richard Edgehille noted board chairmen could be trained to set up stationary video cameras to record their meetings.

“Each chairman from the appointed positions would basically run the camera on a tripod and record the meeting,” McGahan said.

“I’ve done this for probably 15 years,” Edgehille said. “It’s not rocket science.”

Edgehille said the analog console used to record Selectmen’s meetings is a “dinosaur” that WHCA’s contract requires them to update and maintain it.

“This is the most important meeting in town,” he said.

Dias agreed, but noted that Comcast has put a few equipment updates on hold — and WHCA is one of them.

“They had other projects that got bumped, so we got bumped,” she said. “At this point, it doesn’t make sense to put money into equipment that we’re then going to have to change in two years. We will maintain the equipment that’s here.”

Young said WHCA should protest that violation of the agreement by Comcast.

“There isn’t anything you can do,” Dias replied.

McCue said the town would be  responsible for complaints directly to Comcast.

WHCA Executive Director Eric Dresser, who also serves on a state wide professional trade organization, said that group is fighting for high-definition broadcast technology.

“Everybody at home is probably watching what they watch on high-definition, and we are still at a state level — in fact, at a national level — stuck in standard definition,” he said. “Even when we get that digital workflow, traveling over fiber optics, we’re inside of that [standard definition] restriction.”

“Hanson always gets pushed aside, no matter what it is,” Selectman Don Howard said.

Edgehille also asked about the ongoing audit, which Dias said was more of a state review, noting one financial report has already been completed and provided to the town. Young said the contract stipulates that an audit is to be done every three years.

“If you’re going to take a vote on the new contract tonight, just be aware that the [review] … is not cleared up yet,” Edgehille said. “I just want it on the record.”

He also wanted a clarification on the identity of the reporting authority for the board of directors.

“Because they are a 501(C) 3, my understanding is that they are their own entity,” McGahan said. “They are still obligated to report to the people of Hanson and Whitman to maintain our service. There is no repercussions, there’s no outside election of that entity.”

Dresser said WHCA’s nonprofit reporting status is equivalent to churches or civic groups such as Kiwanis, which also have their own boards.

“If they, the corporation, don’t meet the obligations set in this contract, we can dissolve the contract,” McGahan said.

McCue said another recourse for expressing dissatisfaction if there were a contract violation by WHCA would be to withhold the quarterly cable access funds received from Comcast. The money is paid directly to the town, which then pays WHCA — at the moment those funds are paid direct to cable access for convenience, but the town can change that at any time.

Edgehille said he wanted to sit down with the WHCA board to ask his questions, and was assured the meetings are open to the public. The board’s next meeting is Thursday, April 20.

Warrant articles

During discussion of revisited Town Meeting articles, Selectmen voted to approve revisions to wage and personnel articles on the special Town Meeting warrant.

On the annual warrant, they voted 3-1-1, with selectmen Bill Scott abstaining and Young against, to withdraw an article transferring a parcel of the Plymouth County Hospital site to the Conservation Commission’s care and custody.

Conservation Chairman Phil Clemons advocated the transfer of a narrow strip of land, known as parcel 3, as it is largely wetlands with a steep topography. Selectmen expressed concern that it would tie the town’s hands to make such a transfer this early in the planning for future use of the PCH property. The article was said to be more timely at the October special Town Meeting.

The board also voted 5-0 to support an article capping the revolving forestry fund at $15,000 because there is little possibility or obtaining more from available timber. They also voted to place and recommend a zoning by-law regarding standards for solar power installations that might be proposed in town — which combines two previous articles — and to recommend articles regarding town revolving accounts and a marijuana moratorium.

A citizen’s petition brought by Edgehille and 21 others to borrow $500,000 from the state Department of Environmental Protection under the Clean Water Act for the Septic Loan program was also recommended 5-0. The Board of Health has traditionally put forth the article, but has not funded it this year. Edgehille suggested maybe the board did not understand the program.

“I do not plan to run for office again — this is not a platform,” Edgehille said. “I’m here for the people.”

The town borrows from the DEP at 2-percent interest and charges another 2 percent from borrowers to fund the local revolving account. The program has to go back to Town Meeting every time it depletes.

“Not everybody can go to the bank,” Edgehille said. “There’s some single-parent families whose only option is this loan. Think about retired people … how would they pay for a septic loan?”

He stressed that the borrower is the only town resident impacted by the loan as a betterment added to their taxes.

“If their system fails, by Board of Health laws and regulations, they’re out the door,” he said.

The interest rate brings about $40,000 back into the account for a single loan and there are seven people now on a waiting list.

McCue said the money is coming in, but not at a significant rate to replenish the account to past levels.

WHITMAN — Town officials are recalculating the budget’s bottom line after it was discovered that there is a greater revenue problem than was previously thought.

A large sum of money from the National Grid personal property revenue, being considered as a source for capital needs spending in fiscal 2018, had already been incorporated into the $780,000 excess levy that was recognized last year.

“As of this moment, in order to meet all of the requests within Article 2, and the requests that are in [other] articles, we’re almost $790,00 upside down,” Town Administrator Frank Lynam said Tuesday, March 28. “We will be working over the next couple of days — the Finance Committee chair and myself — trying to identify where we may be able to address some these issues.”

Lynam also told the Board of Selectmen, scheduled to review draft warrants for the annual and special Town Meetings, that the Finance Committee was still working on them.

Selectmen were provided with a summary of current budget numbers including $29,997,000 in requests for funding. Spending articles outside the Article 2 municipal budget bring the request total to $30,189,000. Capital expense articles add another $1,296,000.

“Nothing in this is frivolous, but some of this will be cut,” Lynam said. He attended the Finance Committee’s meeting following the Selectmen’s session.

There are 48 warrant articles from the town and an additional 14 from the school district. Lynam said he will be asking Selectmen to sign the warrants for the annual and special Town Meetings on Tuesday, April 11 so the warrants can be published.

“We thought that, in looking quickly at our numbers, we would be in decent shape at least for funding budgets within the limit,” Lynam said. However on working on it and certifications from the Department of Revenue] in more detail over two days, the problem was discovered.

The cost of the school assessment brought the budget issue home, Lynam told Selectmen, adding the town will work with the School Department and other department heads to determine how to solve the shortfall.

Lynam said that those decisions will ultimately come down to how the town votes at the May 1 Town Meeting.

“Education is a very expensive process,” he said. “There’s no way around it. We know that because, despite our best efforts and keeping our budgets under control, we are sixth or seventh from the bottom in spending [for it]. As a result of that, we are depriving some of our children of the opportunities they should have in education.”

While Lynam said he does not believe there is a lot of room in the school district’s budget to cut without affecting programs, he also does not believe the town has been frivolous in its expenditures. The town lacks the ability to pass on costs to large commercial or corporate taxpayers as some surrounding towns do, he stressed.

“I never thought I’d hear myself saying this — we have a revenue problem,” Lynam said. “People are going to have to make a decision as to what kind of community we want to be.”

He said the only source of funding left for the kind of education and town services people expect is the taxpayer.

Chief reports

In other business, Police Chief Scott Benton and Fire Chief Timothy Grenno presented their monthly reports to the board.

Benton stressed the importance of parents’ adherence to the state’s Social Host Law, and responded to Brockton state Rep. Michelle DuBois’ Facebook posts regarding ICE raids said to be planned for that city on Tuesday, May 28, which included ways to “Fight Back” on an informational document she included.

Benton said he is not, as a rule a fan of zero-tolerance policies regarding kids, but makes an exception where the Social Host Law is concerned.

“That falls to adults,” he said. “You cannot, in any way, give up that responsibility.”

He also noted that the community’s involvement in the Whitman-Hanson WILL program and is distributing a flyer about the Social Host Law to local package stores.

Selectmen Chairman Dr. Carl Kowalski noted that while the town’s opioid overdose situation seems to be plateauing, the state has recorded 3,000 opioid overdose deaths in the past three years.

“When people who are in a leadership role in a community step forward and can actually speak to it … we’ve made a lot of inroads,” Benton said. “This didn’t happen overnight, and it’s not going to get fixed overnight.”

Facebook post

On the immigration issue, Benton said his department does not initiate action, but would cooperate with ICE if asked, and was critical of DuBois, without mentioning her name.

“That is not the way to accomplish anything,” Benton said. “My concern is public safety and the people in this community being safe. I can tell you we have no plans to call ICE and go looking for people.”

He said by advising people to fight back, the legislator was putting both alleged undocumented immigrants and public safety officers in danger.

Grenno reported on two recent life-saving calls on Linden Street and Plymouth Street, prompted by carbon monoxide alarms now required in all single family homes by state law.

Whitman Fire has also provided mutual aid to Rockland for two suspicious fires in the past week and a half, one when he was on duty that took from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. on scene, and again for four hours Monday. Grenno said with Rockland’s ladder truck going out of service for six or seven months for refurbishing, the town’s fire chief will be requesting Whitman’s assistance on a more frequent basis.

WHITMAN — The Finance Committee is still working on hard numbers for Town Meeting Warrant Article 2, which funds the town’s budget, but members are working to meet as much of the School Department’s 11.5-percent assessment increase as possible within the levy limit.

Prior to the Tuesday, March 21 meeting, Finance Committee member Shawn M. Kain had presented Town Administrator Frank Lynam with a “brainstorming” list of potential cuts he wanted to discuss, which prompted a heated exchange between members.

Chairman Michael Minchello and Lynam calculated during the session that the town might be able to meet a 7.5-percent increase — 9 percent for Whitman including the student population shift — “as a starting point.”

That represents the town’s retaining non-mandated busing, a $365,000 expense to the town. They further calculated that, minus funds that would be needed to add crossing guards, about $320,000 could be added in support of schools if non-mandated busing for children within a mile and a half of schools was discontinued — bringing the assessment increase to between 10 and 10.5 percent.

Finance Committee member Charles Colby said the assessment calculations were a step in the right direction.

Discontinuing non-mandated busing is a decision Town Meeting voters must make, they noted.

“I’m trying to get to a fair number,” Lynam said, referring to Kain’s brainstorming memo. “You’re suggesting that we make significant cuts to town budgets in order to increase funding to the schools.”

Lynam argued that WHRSD is not cutting a dollar from its budget, but rather is adding $1.4 million to the town’s budget.

“You want to make it a percentage game and I want to make it a dollars game,” Lynam said.

Kain disagreed, arguing that while schools have increased slightly, other departments have increased budgets over the years, and suggested in his talking points memo that town departments be cut by 25 percent — $353,000.

“I didn’t know where the money would end up, so I wanted some contingency just to prepare for the meeting,” Kain said. “I do think if you cut a flat rate from the expense line, if everybody had to cut 10 percent from their expense line, that’s a departmental cut.”

Among his suggestions was reducing utilities costs and gave the example of cutting air-conditioning or heating use at the library.

“It sounds like you want to cut legitimate services,” said IT Director Josh MacNeil, later adding, “What you’re telling me is you’re looking to screw the town to fund the schools.”

“I would like to have discussion about, if the schools are sacrificing, but how are other departments sacrificing?” Kain said, noting he got his figures from the annual Town Report.

After listening to much of the discussion about Kain’s memo, Minchello, a former School Committee member, weighed in on the Finance Committee’s mission.

“What I have a problem with is that this committee is supposed to bring in a balanced budget and a fair budget and every comment you have made tonight is so one-sided for the schools,” Minchello said. “I have a problem with that. When we’re up in front of the town, we’re supposed to be making recommendations — it’s our credibility as a committee that’s at stake here.”

Kain’s recent comments at a School Committee meeting, which he made as a private citizen in support of sharing sacrifices town wide, were also criticized.

“If you don’t want to be on [the Finance Committee], walk out and go be an activist, because maybe you’re better suited for that,” said member Randy LaMattina, calling Kain’s comments a sign of “utter disrespect.” “This is government, where we need to look out for every person, not just one small group, and that’s what you’re doing and it’s obvious.”

Lynam had earlier asked how the schools are sacrificing with an increased budget. School expenses are included in the Town Report data.

Minchello and LaMattina argued at a 10.5-percent increase, the schools would be left with a $150,000 deficit that could be made up by moving curriculum materials out of the operating budget into an article.

“They don’t want to do that,” said Minchello, who later noted the current Finance Committee is now more supportive of the schools than it has been in years.

“We will support the schools to the extent that is fair and equitable across the town,” he said.

Among the sacrifices Kain listed in his memo for discussion was elimination of the assistant town administrator, pointing to a jump in administrator salaries from $86,000 to more than $200,000.

Lynam said those funds have also covered $51,000 paid a former employee. The memo also listed elimination of the assessor clerical position ($35,000), treasurer clerical position ($29,000), Council on Aging clerical position ($32,000 — two people), $30,0000 from library techs, and reduction of Lynam’s salary increase which is under contract.

“There are a few people who were successful in revaluing the job they do and being compensated for it, and frankly I’m one of them,” Lynam said. “I sacrificed over the last 10 years — and I can document where I have not sought increases when other departments got increases, and I did not seek increases in line with the market.”

His increase, at $7,000, still makes him the lowest-paid among his peers, and Selectmen had expected, and indicated to him they would have supported, more. Lynam also pointed out Assistant Town Administrator Lisa Green was also hired to help the office operate and prepare for his planned retirement.

He also said town employees, unlike those in the School Department are not allowed buyouts of accrued sick leave when they retire.

“That was a brainstorm contingency, based on where the budget came back,” Kain said. “I needed some sort of perspective.”

A former School Department IT employee, MacNeil said in the past five years the school’s technology department alone has increased the salary line by $100,000.

“These people deserve to be paid according to the industry standard, I get it,” he said. “But is that OK?”

Members of the committee also noted the lack of detail in the school budget with LaMattina pointing to the Police Department budget, which detailed costs down to $8.90 to Supreme Pizza for a prisoner’s meal.

“That’s how detailed we’re getting with every other department budget,” he said. “[The schools] give us general numbers and will not break it down.”

Minchello said the Police Department is under-funded and unable to fill shifts, the Fire Department is under-staffed because schools are not funded properly. A $4 million town-wide Proposition 2 ½ override — $1,200 more per $300,000 household per year — would be required “just to provide decent service.”

“I’m here because this town is in trouble, and that’s what Shawn started off with saying,” said resident Leila Donovan of Old Mansion Lane. “No one wants to get into us-vs-them.”

Lynam stressed Town Meeting is the appropriating body and makes those decisions and that the town has not supported town-wide overrides in the past.

11.5 percent hike in assessments

The School Committee voted unanimously on Wednesday, March 8 to seek an 11.5-percent increase in the assessments to Whitman and Hanson to fund a $2.1 million shortfall in the proposed fiscal 2018 budget. The committee was slated to meet at 7 p.m., Wednesday, March15 to certify the level-service budget.

Whitman’s assessment would be increased by $1,278,693 and Hanson’s would go up by $868,567. School Committee Chairman Bob Hayes reminded members that, once an assessment is set, it could not be set at a higher rate March 15.

A 3-percent increase would have totaled  $1.4 million for Whitman and about $640,000 for Hanson, with every subsequent 1 percent increase adding $186,718.

Whitman Town Administrator Frank Lynam pointed out Thursday, March 9, that the shift in student population actually puts Whitman’s share at $1,441,007. The cost of the shift is $162,314 automatically added to Whitman’s assessment and subtracted from Hanson.

“I understand why the School Committee voted the assessment they voted, and I have no idea how we’re going to come up with the money,” he said.

Hanson Town Administrator Michael McCue also said his town’s budget could not afford an 11.5-percent assessment increase.

“We cannot fund that amount even if we did nothing at all on the municipal side,” McCue said. “I still wouldn’t have enough money in anticipated revenue growth.” McCue said Monday that Hanson had proposed a 6-percent increase in the town’s assessment as reasonable.

The total operating budget increase is close to 4 percent. The complete school district budget can be viewed online at whrsd.org.

Insurance costs

According to District Business Services Director Christine Suckow, decisions to raise insurance rates made by the Mayflower Municipal Health Group steering committee on March 7, has again widened the budget gap by just over $245,000, offset slightly by an extra $18,000 from interest-bearing accounts  — to $2,154,779. It started out as a $2.8 million gap before the insurance increases, which would have brought the gap to $2.9 million.

The School Committee had closed the budget gap to $1.9 million on Feb. 15, with a vote to transfer $750,000 from its excess and deficiency account.

School Committee member Fred Small asked Suckow last week about the likelihood of any more financial surprises on the horizon, but she did not see any others looming.

“We don’t know that,” Hayes said.

If the governor’s budget proposal to return per-pupils state aid increases to $20 — back down from the $55 increase the district’s legislators had succeeded in obtaining last year — it would add another $137,000 to the deficit, Hayes said.

“I can’t see us going backwards,” Small said in making the motion for the 11.5-percent increase. “I don’t know what it’s going to take … I can’t see us — in good conscience, at least for myself — not voting for at least a level-service [budget].”

Lower ranking

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ruth Gilbert-Whitner noted that the latest numbers from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) show the W-H School District has slipped from 11th from the bottom in per-pupil spending to seventh from the bottom. The average per-pupil spending in the state is more than $15,000 a level that would translate to a $60 million budget for W-H. [See chart]

Frank Lynam suggested Thursday that a large school district such as W-H could be expected to spend less per pupil, as an economy of scale.

“We can’t go back,” said School Committee member Dan Cullity. “We fought too hard for what we got last year. We can’t go backwards and start losing everything again.”

“But we did go backwards last year,” said School Committee member Kevin Lynam. “I think you have to judge this on results in how close you get in moving the number forward. … If you assess where there’s no chance, absent a tax increase, you’re going to run the risk that you don’t get it at all.”

He suggested the committee consider where the money comes from, advocating that non-mandated busing be reconsidered on the Whitman side in order to save about $400,000 in order to consider an override next year. Busing changes are a decision towns must make.

“It eventually gets to the point where it doesn’t make any sense to spend money on buses that are taking kids to schools that don’t teach anything,” he argued.

School Committee member Robert Trotta, meanwhile, said the committee should refuse to retreat on any vote for an 11.5-percent increase.

“It seems like we always come up with a number, and then we listen to the town side — and I understand their dilemma — and we acquiesce,” Trotta said. “I don’t think we can acquiesce this time.”

“It’s high time the towns fund the schools for what we need,” agreed Committee member Alexandra Taylor, noting the state will not be increasing Chapter 70 funds.

Small, however, said he was cognizant of the fact that the towns have a limit to their levy capability under Proposition 2 1/2 and limits to their tax base and commercial growth.

“It’s up to our communities at the same time to decide to come out and support this budget,” Small said. “To be honest with you, I’m ashamed that I’m talking about 11.5 percent. … there’s so much that we don’t have that it’s sickening and it’s wrong.”

Hayes said if the 11.5-percent increase doesn’t come this year, the gap will be bigger next year.

“Let the people of the towns decide what type of school district they want to have,” Hayes said. “I don’t see any other choice.” He said even closing Maquan next year, if that decision is made, will only help close the gap in that year’s budget.

Town challenges

Town administrators argue that town budgets have nowhere left to cut in order to direct more funds to schools without being forced to eliminate services.

“I have no way to cut $1 million,” Frank Lynam said, noting that the only area the town has left in which cuts can be made is in salaries. Many Whitman departments have not increased their expense line in 10 years, he said.

“I can’t cut [Administrative Assistant] Laurie [O’Brien] by 6 percent,” he said. “I can cut her salary by 6 percent, and I will do that the day the teachers agree to take a 6-percent cut in salary.”

McCue also said town department budgets are close to the bone.

“My understanding is several years ago they cut the Highway Department significantly and they’re still at those levels,” he said, noting police and fire budgets are also close to minimum acceptable levels.

“I’m in the middle of negotiations with our unions,” McCue also said. “The other unions look at what is happening on the school side and I need to be fair to our people, and I will be fair to my people. The money is what the money is.”

But some residents advocated March 8 that other departments should feel some of the financial pain they see going on at the schools.

“We’re all here to stand behind you and educate people in town and spread the word,” said Leila Donovan of Whitman at the School committee meeting. “Nobody wants to get into an us-vs-them situation, but for other departments in town, they are getting a higher percentage than the state average.”

Frank Lynam argues the situation calls for a concerted effort.

“We all have to find a way to make it make sense, because there isn’t enough revenue to fund these increases and there is no plan that we can set that will raise our revenue to that point,” he said.

Others at the March 8 School Committee meeting outlined what the current situation means on the classroom level.

Feeling pinch

Whitman Middle School Principal George Ferro said even an 11.5-percent assessment increase would maintain a cap of between 50 and 60 students able to study Spanish, the one foreign language the district now offers. Most South Shore middle schools also offer French, Latin and Chinese, he said. Related arts classes at WMS would remain at 34 to 36 students per class.

“What you’re talking about is just to get where we are today and today is difficult,” he said.

Hanson resident Jim Hickey, a candidate for the Board of Selectmen, said the W-H schools have enabled his children to go on to become, among them: a civil engineer, a sound designer and a research scientist.

“Hanson is worried about Hanson 200, which is in 2020,” he said. “I’m not the smartest person in the room — I could be the dumbest — but to me, education is the most important. I think, as a committee, whether the town accepts it or not you have to vote for 11.5 percent.”

Chris George of Whitman said it is a shame that either town would look to celebrate anything that deals with town pride while failing to adequately fund the schools.

“We should be ashamed of where we are,” he said. A Rockland native who used to look up to W-H schools, he said he now feels he made a mistake in moving to Whitman.

“We need to keep academic teachers in the classroom at any cost,” he said, suggesting sports and other programs should be cut first.

Looking closer at Maquan options

In view of recent forecasts for continued declining enrollment, the district’s options regarding Maquan School’s future were discussed during the Wednesday, March 8 School Committee meeting, but delayed a vote on the proposal until the meeting scheduled for 7 p.m., Wednesday, March 15.

It has been estimated that such a move could save between $800,000 and $1 million by closing the Hanson elementary school, which could not be done before fall 2018.

“First of all, we have concerns about the budget gap, so doing something right away could be very helpful with the budget gap,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ruth Gilbert-Whitner. “As we began to look at what it would really take to shut a building down … it appeared that if you were going to do cost savings, you would need to do it over a period of time, or your up-front to do it quickly could almost offset the savings.”

Any decision to close the school would affect the town and district’s decision on whether to continue seeking a statement of interest to the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) for further repairs or replacement of Maquan.

“These are decisions that are going to have to be made, if not this week, then sometime before statement of interest time,” Gilbert-Whitner said.

School Committee Chairman Bob Hayes said a slower pace could also help Hanson town officials develop a plan for the Maquan building.

“If we give the town enough notice, they may be able to get a desirable tenant,” he said. “They may be able to come up with a great use for the building and it may be some savings because this boarding up or closing down or draining boilers might not even have to happen if the town gets a little bit involved.”

Members of the School Committee met with Hanson Selectmen on Feb. 28 to discuss the budget picture, and the Maquan issue was part of that discussion.

“I would look at the town of Hanson as our partner,” agreed School Committee member Fred Small.

Gilbert-Whitner’s biggest concern is the lack of space to do it right now. The forecast decrease in enrollment at Indian Head will also not be fully felt until the 130 fifth-grade students move to grade six at the end of this school year. Only 96 students make that transition the following year.

The enrollment decrease will then be seen from kindergarten to grades three or four, with projections for continued low enrollment beyond that and is consistent with other towns in the area as well as state and nationwide due to a dip in the birthrate.

Direct impact

“It would be very disruptive to Maquan to rush this,” said Committee member Christopher Howard, who has children at Maquan and knows teachers there. “It’s a lot of changes in a very short period of time.”

Savings would be realized in projected repair needs should Maquan be closed, however. There is currently $5 million in repairs on the capital matrix for Maquan School, according to Gilbert-Whitner. The $5 million would come off the matrix, and repairs would be “much more incidental,” in the period during which the school would be taken offline if the decision is made to close it, she said. There would also be cost savings if duplication of staffing is not needed, Gilbert-Whitner said, noting that is another area where more time would be helpful.

“You really need time to let people know these sort of things could be happening, and also could they be assigned somewhere else in the district and just what that may be,” she said. The regulations governing ages of students placed in the same building, as well as van transportation routing, are also a concern to be considered regarding special education students.

Pluses and minuses

With one less school, there could be savings in custodial contract and utilities costs as well, according to District Business Services Director Christine Suckow, who also cautioned there would be some costs involved in the process should the school be closed.

Classrooms to be used for kindergarten pupils would require the installation of bathrooms at Indian Head School if the children are moved there — a job that cannot be done in-house, according to Facilities Director Ernest Sandland. He said the work could also take some time.

A more in-depth study is required before pre-school classes can be moved, as well.

“Our thinking about this — and it’s still very preliminary — is that there would probably be savings that would happen along the way as you begin to start to take the building offline,” Gilbert-Whitner said.

Whitman’s recent experience with return of the Park Avenue School is not equivalent as that building was used mainly for storage at the time and Maquan is an active school.

Sandland said plumbing for boilers and sinks at Park Avenue had to be fully drained and the exterior had to be securely boarded up.

“It wasn’t overnight that it happened,” he said.

WHITMAN — Voters at Town Meeting May 1 will likely be asked to fund additional work at Whitman Park to meet the state’s handicapped accessibility regulations and avoid steep fines against the town.

The Board of Selectmen discussed the request Town Administrator Frank Lynam will likely seek within the special Town Meeting’s warrant before it convened a hearing concerning a dog complaint at the Tuesday, March 7 meeting. Selectman Daniel Salvucci was absent.

Lynam said he and a few other town officials met last week with the Architectural Access Board (AAB) in Boston regarding park accessibility, which has different standards than the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

“There were some misunderstandings and we have received direction from them and are providing feedback,” Lynam said of the AAB. “Within 30 days, we will provide mapping and and a schedule and will begin the work following appropriations at Town Meeting.”

He noted that the town has an order from the AAB that, if the work is not complete by Aug. 1 or town officials have not provided them with a request for an extension, the town will be subject to fines of $1,000 per day.

“I assured them they had our attention and that we will be taking all appropriate steps,” Lynam said. He plans to seek funding from free cash at the special Town Meeting so work can begin as soon as possible.

One of the AAB’s rules of accessibility is that all playground equipment must be accessible to wheelchairs.  Lynam said the work should cost about $50,000, but if the playground requires a path entirely surrounding it, the cost could go as high as $90,000.

“We’re going to seek direction from the AAB,” he said.

Park pathways were also discussed at the AAB meeting. An AAB member has been to the park to assess the work done on the walkways and has found the pathmix used to be acceptable, Lynam reported. He said the material would, however, require more maintenance by the DPW. One-third of the park pathways still must be resurfaced in that ongoing project.

Dog hearing

After a 40-minute hearing, presided over by Assistant Town Administrator Lisa Green — who is an attorney — Selectmen voted 3-0 to accept her recommendation that a Rhodesian Ridgeback/boxer mix dog owned by Erin Curran be registered and licensed in town, but need not be declared a dangerous dog. Animal Control Officer Lisa McKay was not present at the hearing.

“I feel that both parties are at fault here, at some point, for different reasons,” said Selectman Brian Bezanson, who also owns multiple dogs. “We all need to remember that we have to keep our dogs under our control at all times. … I would like this to be a lesson to the rest of the community.”

Curran, of Boston, said her boyfriend Peter Cerino of 5 Oakdale Farm Road has been keeping the dog, named Maddie, since Curran suffered a knee injury last fall. Maddie is a 65-pound, 9-year-old dog. Cerino’s yard is not fenced in, but he said Maddie is always kept on a lead when out in his yard.

Scott and Lisa Godbout of 6 Oakdale Farm Road had filed a complaint under MGL Ch. 140 Sec. 157 and Whitman’s Dog Control Regulation XXVII Sec. XI stemming from two incidents in July and November 2016 between Maddie and the Godbout’s Schnauzer/poodle mix Tucker. The Godbout’s 8-year-old dog weighs 16 pounds.

Both parties agreed that Tucker was off-leash in Cerino’s yard during a July incident and that Maddie was off-leash during a November incident, in which the dogs tangled while Godbout was walking Tucker on a leash. Whitman’s regulation requires dogs be under an owner’s control at all times.

Where the two sides disagreed centered on the amount of supervision over the dogs in each incident.

Curran alleged no one was with Tucker when he entered Cerino’s yard in July and got in between Maddie — tied to the deck — and a neighbor’s dog as they were playing. Lisa Godbout insisted she was present when her dog and two others entered Cerino’s yard to play with Maddie, and that Maddie had attacked Tucker without provocation. The Godbouts did not raise an issue with that incident because their dog was off-leash at the time, and Curran had agreed with that decision.

“We really wanted to address this as neighbors and not litigate and I think we have resolved that, mostly,” Scott Godbout said, noting he had hoped to avoid reporting either incident. “This situation has never been a personal matter. We think it is our responsibility, as neighbors, to do our part in maintaining the safety of the neighborhood.”

Scott Godbout said he was walking Tucker on the leash when Maddie came out from between cars and pounced on his dog on Nov. 22. He was bitten trying to separate the dogs, and treated at South Shore Hospital where he received antibiotics, but no stitches.

Curran said Maddie had been frightened by a smoke alarm when food was scorched in the oven and had squeezed out of the house through a sliding glass door, opened slightly to air out the kitchen. Her dog ran toward the Godbout’s house, where Scott had testified Maddie had come out of nowhere before the dogs tangled.

Curran said her dog’s wounds from that incident appeared to be defensive and that Tucker had initiated the fight.

“As a dog owner, I take my responsibilities very seriously,” Curran said. “I’ve invested in Maddie’s training.” That training included Canine Top Performance Canine Camp in Reading.

Curran and Cerino have paid vet bills for Tucker, bought a muzzle for Maddie and a gate for their deck at the ACO’s request and that McKay had opined that her dog is not dangerous. Curran’s presentation included a packet of documentation including 12 affadvits from trainers, public safety officials and other neighbors who maintain Maddie, a therapy dog, is not a dangerous dog. She said prior to July, and since November, Maddie has had no other incidents with other dogs or people.

She also testified the Godouts “knowingly and voluntarily” signed an agreement to waive legal claims against Curran and Cerino following their payment of about $3,000 to pay the Godbout’s expenses.

HANSON — After holding public office in one capacity or another since 1977, Selectman Bruce Young has decided to retire — opting not to seek re-election this May.

He provided the Whitman-Hanson Express with a statement about his decision before the board’s Tuesday, Feb. 28 meeting, but made no public comment on it in the session during which much of the discussion centered on the schools and municipal budget outlook.

“I will be ending my service to the Town of Hanson in May, but will still actively participate as all good citizens should, staying informed and attending town meetings, and will be happy to share my knowledge and experience with anyone who may have a question,” Young stated.

Besides the Board of Selectmen, he has served on the town’s Finance Committee, Historical Commission and Board of Water Commissioners. [See Letters to Editor, page 12].

“I understand and respect his decision,” Selectmen Chairman James McGahan said Wednesday morning, lauding Young’s status as an invaluable member of the board. “His knowledge is exceptional on government policy and procedures.”

McGahan said he hopes Young will, indeed, remain active in town affairs as a private citizen.

“He will be missed,” McGahan said.

Young’s retirement reduces the field of candidates having taken out nomination papers to four — incumbent Selectman William Scott, former Selectman James Egan, CPC Chairman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett and former Recreation Commission Chairman James Hickey. None have yet returned nomination papers ahead of the April 4 deadline, according to Town Clerk Elizabeth Sloan.

Young indicated Wednesday morning he wanted to make his decision known in time to give other interested candidates enough notice to allow them to take out nomination papers ahead of the March 30 deadline.

Among the career highlights he outlined in his announcement, Young stated he has played a role in guiding Hanson through the first two years of Proposition 2 ½ without major financial or town service problems; he also

• Established the first combined position of Treasurer Collector;

• Established the Priority Repair Committee following the defeat of a proposed new school project in 2014;

• Established the first recall law and the town administrator position (then known as the executive secretary to the Board of Selectmen);

• Established the first Water Department Master Plan and

• Established the first certified historical survey of town properties.

He has also worked on efforts to preserve the 111-acre Smith-Nawazelski Conservation Area and the placement of the Camp Kiwanee historic District and District School House No. 7 on the National Register of Historic Places.

School budget

In business before the board Tuesday night, Selectmen heard an update on the WHRSD fiscal 2018 budget from School Committee Chairman Bob Hayes and Business Services Director Christine Suckow. School Committee members Christopher Howard, Michael Jones, Fred Small and Dan Cullity also attended the meeting.

Following the transfer of $750,000 from excess and deficiency as well as $13,000 in interest-rate income from district bank accounts and $50,000 from the self-funded school lunch program toward utility costs, the shortfall for a level-service school budget is now $1,914,754. Projected revenue is expected to be short by $869,767.

“It’s not unique to Whitman-Hanson,” Hayes said. “This budget shortfall is pretty much the norm in the school districts around the state — some are worse, some are in better shape.”

At this point, Whitman-Hanson would require a 10.5-percent assessment increase — $1,167,502 from Whitman and $793,039 from Hanson —to fully fund a level-service budget, Hayes noted. Assessments are set based on student population as of Oct. 1 each year.

State representatives Josh Cutler, D-Duxbury, and Geoff Diehl, R-Whitman, are co-sponsoring a bill to again raise the state’s per-pupil increase in Chapter 70 aid from $20 to $50 — and are working to change wording in the state law to make $50 the required minimum annual increase. Last year Cutler and Diehl’s efforts yielded a $55 per-pupil increase, which brought the district an added $137,000.

“A level-service budget means bringing back exactly what we have today, not adding anything,” Hayes said. The proposed budget as unveiled Feb. 1 is up by $1,857,987 — a 3.95-percent increase over the current operating budget. Final figures for state aid are not available until the state budget is finalized in June. Town Meeting is Monday, May 1.

The School Committee will be continuing work on the budget during meetings at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 8 and Wednesday, March 15 in the WHRHS library. Hayes urged the public as well as interested town officials to attend any School Committee meeting, all of which are open to the public.

“We don’t have hard firm numbers, there’s no way to nail it down,” Hayes said. “This is a work in progress.”

Cuts being considered include a possible closing of Maquan School by fall 2018, which could save about $800,000 in fiscal 2019, split sessions or cutting the athletics programs, which could save about $200,000 for a program that costs $400,000, but brings in $200,000 between fees and gate receipts.

“It’s a balancing act, because we don’t want to put in more money to fix the school if this is going to be the ultimate choice,” McGahan said.

Town budget

Hanson’s Town Accountant Todd Hassett also reviewed the town’s budget outlook, as the fiscal 2018 budget is currently looking at a 5.49-percent increase, or $24,727,978. The current town budget is $23,441,725.

“As Mr. Hayes told you, this is a work in progress much like the school budget,” Hassett said. “We still have article requests that have not been submitted — the deadline is … March 10.”

He also noted the Capital Committee has just begun reviewing capital requests.

The bottom line for net sources available for appropriation is currently at $23,047,573 with expenditures projected at $23,047,573 — leaving $1,004 unspent.

The levy limit is now projected at $18,390,443 with the 2 ½ percent increase of $459,761, but new growth revenue is down $298,037 to $175,000 as estimated from the trend in new building permits. Total stabilization funds are projected at $670,869 and state aid, or cherry sheet receipts is expected to increase by about $806,000 with local receipts going up by $77,500 to $1,727,750.

Hassett has placed $250,000 in the free cash capital/other account, the minimum baseline, which brings available funds to $1.2 million.

“We’re not really in a position where we can put a lot of recurring revenue toward our capital needs yet,” Hassett said.

General government spending is being cut by 3.51 percent, as was done for the current budget.

Hassett has projected an increase of 3.91 percent for all school spending, including W-H, SSVT and Norfolk Aggie assessments. Public safety is up by 1.01 percent, not including contact negotiations, and public works up 6.19 percent — largely due to shoring up expenses to repairs and maintenance.

“They’ve historically been under-budgeted for a lot of their operating expenses and have really been handcuffed as to what they’ve been able to do for the town,” Hassett said of the Highway Department increase.

“You’ve spent the money anyway, historically,” Town Administrator Michael McCue said of supplementary spending at fall town meetings to cover shortfalls.

The Water Department has proposed to add another position and the financial effect of water main and water tank improvements have also begun to show up in the budget, but Hassett does not foresee an effect on water rates.

Recreation budget is up 8.21percent as the full year of salary and benefits of a new director is reflected in that budget. McCue, Scott and Recreation Chairman Rachel Gross are interviewing candidates this week.

Anticipated health insurance increases are also a concern, Hassett said.

School panel looks ahead to assessments

The School Committee is taking a close look at the assessment increase they are seeking from Whitman and Hanson to help close the fiscal 2018 budget gap.

Revenue will be short by $869,767, with expenses at $1,857,987.

The $750,000 transferred from the excess and deficiency account at the Wednesday, Feb. 15 meeting narrows that gap a bit — from $2,727,754 to $1,997,754.

“I do anticipate being able to put money back into E&D, but at this time of year, it’s very difficult to figure out how much that will actually be,” said Business Services Director Christine Sukow. “We don’t know what the next few months will be with utilities and snow, and we have so much personnel movement that that’s a real volatile area, as well.”

Excess and deficiency is depended on to fund financial emergencies during the fiscal year and is replenished from unspent funds calculated into utilities and maintenance on a worst-case scenario basis. Town free cash accounts work in a similar way, Sukow said.

The assessments to each town was tabled to another meeting to give the district time to see what cuts can be made, giving the committee a better idea where they stand. They must set an assessment by March 15 — 45 days before town meetings.

“There are certainly adjustments we can make, but we need to get a sense of where you all think you’re going to set the assessment,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ruth Gilbert-Whitner said.

Every percentage point in the assessments add $186,782 to the budget. Completely closing the gap by operating assessment increases would require an increase of about 10.5 percent ($1,960,541 — $1,167,502 from Whitman and $793,039 from Hanson). The towns are assessed based on population, with Whitman paying 59.55 percent and Hanson paying 40.45 percent.

“I don’t want to make an assessment and then whittle it down,” School Committee member Robert Trotta said. “We just can’t do it anymore. Whatever assessment we make, we’ve got to stick with. What that is, I’m not sure myself, but there’s no way we can settle for 3 percent like we have in the past.”

School Committee Chairman Bob Hayes said he did not think setting the assessment now is wise without more work on the budget being done.

School Committee member Fred Small, who chairs the facilities subcommittee, suggested separating out capital items.

“I can see [Gilbert-Whitner’s] concern that it would be a tremendous risk that, if we took a curriculum item and separated it out and it didn’t pass — what do you do?” Small said. “But at the same time, what do we do with a $1.9 million deficit?”

Suckow said she and Science Curriculum Director Mark Stephansky have met with the materials publisher to determine if it can be financed over three or four years to help save money. She has also called them back to ask about four or five-year financing.

“I’d be very hesitant with curriculum,” Gilbert-Whitner said. “I’d be much more in favor of reducing the cost impact to this budget by spreading it out over time.”

“We’re struggling just to have just to have the same services as we have this year,” Small said, noting that the two towns are not near the target share the state wants to see for local school spending. “We’re not moving forward. … We’re fighting just for level services.”

He advocated formulating an option through which the towns can decide whether they want to back educational progress.

“Give us level services at Town Meeting and then decide how far forward you’d like us to go,” he said. “I think we need to step forward.”

Hayes indicated it would require a 10.5-percent assessment increase to fund a level-service budget.

“At this particular point, we’re not even talking about level services, we’re talking about cuts,” Hayes said.

Hayes estimated it would mean cutting about 33 positions.

“It’s going to be staff cuts,” Gilbert-Whitner said. “We have met on this over and over again. If you look at the increases, it’s staffing and health insurance — it’s people.”

She argued that, for a district 10th or 11th from the bottom in per-pupil spending statewide, it is not an outrageous budget, and noted that finance committees have asked if the schools are looking for an override.

“I think we have to say to the citizens, ‘Are you looking to an override?’ because I don’t think we can go through this year what we went through last year,” she said. “We were hammered in Hanson.” In 2016, Whitman narrowly defeated an override and Hanson rejected it by a 2:1 margin.

Assistant Superintendent of Schools for Human Resources, Safety and Security Patrick Dillon said a review of the average teacher salaries in surrounding communities shows in the 2014-15 school year — the latest for which state numbers are available — W-H is at $78,000 and the state average if $76,000. The local average in the region is $77,700 in a range of from $72,000 to $83,400.

“We’re right in the middle of the pack,” he said.

The level-service budget includes a $778,065 increase for contractually obligated faculty salaries: an added ESL teacher ($66,552) due to an increase in the district’s ESL population; three teachers added from last year’s transfer from excess and deficiency ($170,223) to address class size and $58,195 to cover decreased funding of a 21st Century grant that funds an at-risk student program at the high school, — totaling $1,073,035 — according to Suckow. Retirement assessments are increasing by $227,129. Health insurance is expected to rise by at least 10 percent, with more information available in March.

“We’ll be lucky if it’s 10,” Gilbert-Whitner said.

Contracted services are also going up in price. Utility costs are up $3,560 and transportation is up by 4 percent or $57,563. Curriculum costs are up $220,000 and a free pilot program at the middle schools expires in June. Elementary-level costs for supplies, based on enrollment, is up $769 for replacement materials.

On the plus side, the recent refinance of the high school building reduced payments by just over $22,000. School choice costs for students going to other districts is down by just over $50,000 as only eight students are going to other schools — down from 16 last year.

Committee discusses the effects of possible cuts

The School Committee discussed on Wednesday, Feb. 15 the ramifications of possible cuts to services and facilities use the W-H Regional School District is considering in the effort to close a $2.8 million shortfall in a level-service budget for fiscal 2018.

“There’s a lot of discussion that, when I mentioned Maquan closings, double sessions, eliminating the sports program or staff reductions, that that was threatening,” School Committee Chairman Bob Hayes said. “That’s this committee’s charge. This committee is here to come up with a budget. There is no threat. It’s something we have to look at.”

Before the end of the meeting, the committee voted to transfer $750,000 from the excess and deficiency account to help close the gap, but more difficult decisions remain.

At the Feb. 1 budget roll-out, Hayes said the panel will have to “take a serious look” at how the district operates and may have to consider eliminating high school athletics, closing the Maquan School and consolidating those students into Hanson’s Indian Head School, staff layoffs and double sessions to save money.

“All of those things are on the table,” Hayes said Feb. 1. “This is not ‘we keep coming to you and crying wolf,’ this is serious. Every year it gets worse and worse and worse.”

Closing the Maquan Elementary School in Hanson could save an estimated $800,000, but even if that option is accepted, school officials said special needs programs would need until September 2018 to make that kind of move. Maintenance costs associated with Maquan since 2012 have amounted to more than $600,000.

The savings could break down to about $135,000 in academic staff salaries — one teacher and three paraprofessionals through retirement and attrition — and $245,000 annually in the reduced number of administrators and nurses required. A nominal savings of $3,000 to $4,000 could be seen in technology needs. The bigger savings is seen in the $141,000 from SJ Services — as there would be one less building to clean — as well as $152,000 in facilities maintenance costs and $50,000 annually in insurance, according to Assistant Superintendent of Schools for Human Resources, Safety and Security Patrick Dillon. He looked at existing capacity and declining enrollment in his study.

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ruth Gilbert-Whitner said there are 130 students in the fifth grade at Indian Head right now, with only about 110 in grade four and about the same in lower grades in Hanson.

No appreciable savings would be realized from special education changes or transportation costs and some $45,000 annually would be lost from space now rented at Maquan to North River Collaborative and a one-time cost of $15,000 would be involved in moving classroom equipment.

“It looked as if trying to close it for this upcoming fall of 2017 could create more disorder and chaos than we would be able to manage,” said Gilbert-Whitner. “If the building were to go back to the town, they could possibly rent it to North River Collaborative, which would be a revenue source, but clearly up to the town.”

Special Education Coordinator John Quealy said moving programs to other schools in the district would take some time and must adhere to laws governing age disparity of students in the same building. Changes must also take into consideration the effect on the special needs children and their families, both Gilbert-Whitner and Quealy said.

The district’s pre-school program could be housed at the Duval Elementary School, according to Dillon.

Hanson Middle has 25 classrooms with 500 students, Indian Head has 27 classrooms with 540 students. Duval has seen a “significant decline” in enrollment, according to Gilbert-Whitner, from 645 school-wide about four years ago to 493 today.

Split sessions

School officials do not anticipate a bump in enrollment for the foreseeable future, but Hayes indicated split sessions or portable classrooms could be a short-term solution to any unexpected spike.

Moving to a kindergarten through grade four school at Indian Head would be possible, Dillon said, echoing Quealy’s concern about integrating Maquan programs into other schools.

Gilbert-Whitner noted that repairs have been made to both Maquan and Indian Head Elementary following the unsuccessful plan for a new preK-grade five school in Hanson a few years ago.

The district and Hanson officials are looking for an engineering study to determine needed work to the HVAC system at Maquan and the cost of doing that work and other repairs are estimated to exceed $5 million.

“They were not particularly encouraging that that kind of money was available to make those kinds of repairs, and in addition to that, just concerns that maybe nothing would be done until something drastic happened at that school,” Gilbert-Whitner said of a recent meeting with the Hanson Capital Improvement Committee. “That was frightening to me as a superintendent.”

Hayes agreed, saying that North River Collaborative is looking for “a tremendous amount of space” and may want to lease the entire Maquan building.

Over the last two weeks, school officials have been looking closely at enrollment trends, available space and time frames.

Closing Maquan would also mean the district would not need to do a statement of interest with the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) for Maquan and Whitman Middle is still within the 20-year cost clawback regulations regarding needed roof repairs.

Gilbert-Whitner said a Maquan closing would trigger gradual downsizing with maintenance focused on needed repairs for equipment that breaks, but no major repair projects undertaken.

“I don’t think, personally, the town is going to save a ton of money … but even if they close it, the town’s not getting off scot-free,” said Hanson School Committee member Robert O’Brien Jr., noting the length of time the former Plymouth County Hospital building stood empty. He suggested Hanson officials hold public meetings on the issue.

Sports programs

Business Services Director Christine Suckow has been researching the implications of eliminating the athletics program at W-H as a cost-saving possibility.

The current proposed athletics program is just under $400,000 — most of which goes to salaries, insurance and the cost of reconditioning equipment, mandated by the state law. The athletics revolving account, which is outside the budget and is funded by user fees and gate receipts, is about $200,000 and pays for referees, bus transportation to games and supplies not covered in the operating budget.

Eliminating the sports program would also eliminate the revolving account without sports for which to sell tickets.

Staff reductions

The district has already sent out, through the WHEA teachers’ union, advising that the July 1 notification rules would be waived for any staff considering retirement in the near future. The district could then hire replacements at a lower salary or leave posts vacant.

Gilbert-Whitner said there has already been some interest expressed in that option.

Food Services may also be asked to pay $50,000 for a part of utility bills, as is permitted by the federally-funded program independent of the operating budget.

Busing cuts

If the district stopped non-mandated busing, the towns would not have to pay that cost, Suckow said. For Hanson, that cost is $102,026 and in Whitman it is $365,362.

“The towns could charge for non-mandated busing,” Gilbert-Whitner said.