Botelle School budget takes major hit

By Wiley Wood

Town taxes will rise about 4.5 percent in the coming year, according to Board of Finance Chairman Michael Sconyers, who spoke at the town’s annual budget hearing on April 24.

“I really don’t like the budget,” said Sconyers, who explained that a decrease in allocations from the state and in contributions from the town’s positive fund balance will mean that even a flat budget will require a tax hike of about one mill.

“We had a meeting with the selectmen last week where we brought out the hatchet,” said Sconyers. At that time, the Board of Finance decided to cut the Botelle School budget by $50,000; to scrap plans to replace a Public Works Department plow truck that was wrecked over the winter; to lower next year’s allocation for road salt, despite a $95,000 overrun in spending on salt this year; and to cut a proposed 2.5 percent pay raise for Town Hall employees, the first in many years, by half.

Despite these cuts, town spending will rise slightly, and taxes will increase from the current mill rate of 22.45 (meaning that property owners in Norfolk are taxed $22.45 for every $1,000 of assessed value) to 23.46. The new mill rate must be approved by a vote at the town meeting scheduled in May.

Queried about the cuts to the school budget, Sconyers replied, “Frankly, I think Botelle can do better. They had three senior teachers retire this year, and that’s a lot of savings right there.”

Botelle School Superintendent Mary Beth Iacobelli responded that special education costs have increased by $110,000 over the past year and union-negotiated teacher salaries have risen as well.

She also defended hiring an experienced teacher to fill one of the vacated posts. “Yes, I could have hired a teacher at $45,000 a year, but we don’t sort our candidates on how much they are paid,” said Iacobelli. The chosen teacher was a state finalist for teacher of the year, with special training in numeracy and literacy. “He brings a wealth of skills and supports that we need here,” said Iacobelli, “and he was the unanimous choice of the interviewing team.”

Enrollment at Botelle for the seven grades from pre-K to sixth grade was 102 students this year. Because of a large graduating sixth grade class, next year’s enrollment is expected to be 90 to 95 students, though Iacobelli does not foresee savings on this account.

First Selectman Matt Riiska said he intends to tell his road crews that they will have to use less salt next year. “I have been in manufacturing for 30 years,” says Riiska, “and I know there has got to be a way to calibrate those trucks to use less salt.”

The finalized budget will come up for a vote from town residents at the annual town meeting on May 14 at 7 p.m. at the Hall of Flags in Botelle School.