Board of Education Adopts $96.58 Million Budget

The Westport Board of Education adopted a $ $96,579,659 budget Monday night for the 2010-2011 school year.

That amount is $2.01 million more than the current year's budget, representing a 2.13 percent increase.

The larger budget is primarily to fund salaries and benefits. When Westport Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Elliott Landon proposed his budget last month, he suggested the board ask for a 2.9 percent increase over the current school year's $94.6 million budget. But with urging from the town's Board of Finance to come in flat, the school board decided to make further cuts in some areas so it could restore funding in other areas.

Board chairman Don O'Day said Assistant Superintendent for Business Nancy Harris was able to save the district money by seeking proposals for bus contracts and recommending the district award a five-year contract to Dattco, whose proposal was $225,000 cheaper than First Student, includes a new fleet over that five-year time frame and buses with GPS systems. Harris also found the district a way to save $148,000 in heating costs by tracking fuel prices and switching from burning oil in the schools to burning natural gas. The board voted to approve Harris' recommendations.

The board also decided it wanted to make some changes from Landon's proposal and increase the teacher reserve fund from two to three positions and restore about $70,000 in the budget to fund stipends for assistant coaches in after-school athletics and program leaders for extra-curricular activities.

By adding that back, O'Day said the board had to find ways to cut in other areas. He asked Landon to look for possibilities last week. Landon proposed the board cut from supplies and instructional equipment, including buying fewer SMART Boards and laptops. The board voted unanimously to reduce the budget in those areas by $111,500 to allow for a larger teacher reserve fund and no cuts to after-school programs.

The board voted unanimously to adopt the $96.58 million budget. It now goes to the Board of Finance for approval.