On Monday night, Rochester officials considered their options and, at times, voiced frustration as they worked to cover the costs of the $303,000 assessment by the Old Rochester Regional School District budget while maintaining the town budget.

Meanwhile, an Annual Town Meeting vote looms that asks residents to approve an estimated $200,000, five-year bond to pay for capital expenses at ORR.

The Finance Committee met with Selectmen on Monday to discuss the assessment and ORR capital plan.

“We’ve pinned those numbers down in order to make the $303,000 work and the capital plan work,” Finance Committee Chair Kristian Stoltenberg said.

The assessment will, in part, be covered by a newly created student stabilization account that is funded by a recent increase of free cash in town coffers, Stoltenberg said.

“If it wasn’t for this unusual free cash situation, we’d be in dire straits right now.”

McCue said the extra free cash is the result of “a big push by the treasurer and town counsel to clear up many properties subject to tax title last year.”

In conversations on the capital plan, which was significantly reduced from the $1.2 million to strictly pay for capital expenses, Town Administrator Michael McCue noted that even if Rochester residents do not approve paying for the bond, the law may require it if the other two towns – Mattapoisett and Marion– approve the plan.

Stoltenberg cautioned the town not to reject the capital plan.

He expressed confidence in the need for some of the proposed capital improvements, including security-related ones like the redesign of the vestibule to improve the safety of the school entrance and a tie-in so police can access school cameras in emergency situations.

“The safety issue is not one you can ignore in today’s environment,” he said.

Select Chair Richard Nunes said he wanted reassurance that the district is getting its needs met through the plan, and that it would not approach the town to pay for more projects during the next few years.

McCue said that ORR officials said they would not do another capital plan for five years.

“That’s what they tell us,” he said.

Selectman Naida Parker voiced larger concerns that education costs are eating away at the town’s budget.

“Maybe this is a good plan, but we are held hostage at the town level to the wants and needs of ORR. When are we going to be able to fund town departments? We’ve level funded the town budget for years now,” she said.

Parker added that some departments aren’t getting their needs met, including the highway department, which needs more funds for road maintenance.

Stoltenberg replied that the town should pursue state funding to handle those needs, and that, as the “biggest industry employer in town,” schools are going to require funding.

Moving forward, McCue said that the town must engage in some long-term financial planning.

“Once we see light at end of tunnel with this budget, we need to do some serious thinking on how we are moving forward in the future years,” he said. “We must consider every option to the town of Rochester.”