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Date: 3/17/2021
HUNTINGTON – At a virtual meeting on March 10, the Gateway Regional School Committee voted to adopt the FY22 budget of $16.7 million, reflecting a 1.2 percent increase over last year, and to assess the towns via the alternative assessment.
Gateway Superintendent David B. Hopson said the budget hasn’t changed since the last presentation, adding that the only change had been a slight one in the student census as of March 1. The student census numbers impact the statutory assessment formula to the towns, which is based on the percentage of the student population in each town.
The alternative assessment will assess all six towns at a 1.78 percent increase over last year. Previously, Hopson said the difference between the 1.78 percent increase in the assessment and the 1.2 percent budget increase is due to the difference between what Gateway takes in in revenue and costs. He said the budget went up “a little bit,” but the state is picking up less than 40 percent of the budget, and the towns have to make it up.
Assistant Superintendent Stephanie Fisk said Gateway had heard from Blandford and Middlefield that they will be recommending the alternative assessment at town meetings, and asked whether any other towns had made a decision. A vote from all six towns is required to pass the alternative assessment.
Huntington Selectman and School Committee representative Edward Renauld said Huntington would recommend the alternative, which is lower for the town this year, and would make an amendment on the floor for the statutory method if it fails.
A representative from Chester said they would support the alternative, while Tara Balboni from Russell said the Finance Committee and Select Board had not yet voted on which assessment method to support. No word had been received from Montgomery.
New Huntington representative David Lubbers asked if someone could explain the difference between the alternative and statutory assessments “in three words.” He also asked which one was better for students and staff.
Hopson said the assessment method does not impact the amount of money the school receives, but impacts the amount the towns pay. He said the traditional statutory method results in large swings in assessments due to changes in the student census, while the alternative will increase assessments by 1.78 percent for all six towns. “It’s a much more fair and equitable manner [of assessment],” he said.
“Think of it as a shock absorber,” said Fisk. “If everyone were always to vote the alternative, then the towns wouldn’t have the highs and lows.”
“This was part of a really long discussion we had as towns,” said School Committee Chair Michele Crane. “There wasn’t an incentive for towns to be excited about families moving in because their costs go higher – one of the reasons behind it. It was supposed to help us with the highs and lows, and also allow us to work as a community,” she added.
The motion to send out the alternative assessment request to the towns passed unanimously.
“Now the rest of the hard work begins getting everybody else to follow along at town meetings,” Crane said.