When the Marion School Committee was preparing its 2013 budget proposal they received financial help from town departments. Now, the committee members want to return the favor.

On Wednesday, April 4 the committee members agreed to take over the costs of upgrading the Sippican School’s emergency generator and to fix a leak in one of the hallways caused by infiltration of ground water.

Combined, the two projects will cost $39,000.

Committee Chair Brad Gordon said the repairs would normally fall under the town’s budget, but that the committe would take on the costs.

“The town has been instrumental in minimizing the impact on the school budget,” Gordon said. “We still have cuts, but we were fortunate. It could have been much worse.”

On Wednesday, the committee approved the 2013 draft of the budget proposal, which calls for an additional $376,762 to meet with contractual obligations, increased costs of special education and additional students attending a vocational school.

The budget also includes five staff cuts.

Gordon said this proposal was “the best case scenario.” Without assistance from the town, the staffing cuts would have been much higher, he said.

The committee has $230,730 allocated in the budget to use for Sippican School improvement projects should the need arise.

“The town has been quite generous with us,” Gordon said. “We have the funds available and we would like to alleviate the town’s burden.”

While a start date for the repairs has yet to be determined, Gordon said the improvements would take place sometime over the next school year.

The School Committee will send their draft proposal of the budget to Town Meeting for final approval.