While the Marion School Committee continues to work on the 2013 budget, Committee Chair Brad Gordon says concerns from parents and the community will be taken into consideration before the “challenging” budget is finalized.

During the February 1 School Committee meeting, Superintendent Doug White presented a preliminary report of the budget drafted by the budget subcommittee.

The draft calls for an additional $431,000 to cover the costs of staff contract obligations, tuition for Marion students attending vocational schools, and the need for special education programs.

The school is obligated to fund that increase, Gordon said, though the
committee has yet to determine where the funds will come from.

“Our mandate is not to question those costs, but to see how we can meet those costs,” Gordon said.

The committee will hold a public hearing on March 7 to hear residents’ opinions.
Sippican School library assistant Pat Nojeim said she was concerned with how the budget difficulties will impact the students.

“My daughter went through Sippican School and had a great education,” Nojeim said. “I’m just nervous if that’s going to be lost on how this plays out.”

Gordon, who is also a member of the budget subcommittee, said the subcommittee is reviewing every option and will not make any final decisions without input from the community.

“We have not made any decisions about any programs yet,” Gordon said.
“There is nothing we want to change. We want more money. We don’t have it. We take the comments at the public hearing very seriously, and we will take those into consideration before we finalize anything.”

White said that town officials, including the Board of Selectmen, are working with the School Committee and the Superintendent’s Office on drafting an acceptable budget for 2013.

Town officials have asked the School Committee to reduce its proposed $431,000 budget increase to at least $215,000 before the final proposal is presented to May Town Meeting for a vote.

“We are very fortunate to have the town’s support, because without it things would be much, much worse,” Gordon said. “We want to provide the best education for the kids.”