The Old Rochester Regional School District is writing checks that Rochester can’t cash, according to Town Administrator Rich LaCamera.

Preliminary budget figures from school administrators show a requested increase of $245,000 for Rochester Memorial School and $292,000 for the regional district over last year.

“As I’ve said previously to the School Committee, there’s no way we can fund that kind of money for the local school budget,” LaCamera told Selectmen Monday.

Recently LaCamera met with town administrators from Marion and Mattapoisett, alongside Superintendent Doug White, to review the budget. Last year, towns were caught off guard when projected state aid figures were less than expected. To overcome the deficit school administrators dipped into the district’s reserve fund.

LaCamera said the joint meeting, and future ones, are intended to get the town and the district to craft a balanced budget.

Right now it’s a work in progress as the assessment for all three towns is estimated to be $800,000 more than last year.

“It’s impossible for all three towns to support that,” LaCamera said.

Tri-town officials are gearing up for what appears to be a tough budget cycle. In Rochester, LaCamera put the town’s total receipts at just under $19 million, which is about $500,000 more than the previous fiscal year.

He briefed Selectmen on how that money will be used to offset fixed costs such as a seven percent rise in health insurance costs, additional retirement costs and an upgrade to the town’s ambulance service.

Department heads were asked to develop municipal budgets that were the same as last year.

“I’m not sure what we can do on the town side because I think we’ve done everything we can,” LaCamera said.

Town and school officials must work quickly to reduce the school’s budget, or prepare to ask for an override at Annual Town Meeting.

“This should be decided now or in February,” LaCamera said. “No one likes to talk about the ‘O’ word, but if someone wants an override we need to figure it out.”

Members of Rochester’s Finance Committee, School Committee, Selectman Brad Morse and LaCamera are set to meet with White on Jan. 28 to continue the discussion.