By Courtney Nguyen
GEORGETOWN — Like many school districts in the area, Georgetown is facing a budget shortfall of $275,000, school committee member Anne Blythe reported at a meeting Dec. 17.
"We are only five months into the year," Blythe said. "Going forward, we will need a large redirection of funds."
Blythe said the school committee and administrators will need to be proactive rather than reactive and evaluate priorities.
"What is more important, keeping class sizes down or maintaining current programming?" she said.
With an additional 10 percent cut in Chapter 70 aid, the lag in receiving stimulus funding and the shortfall, superintendent Carol Jacobs said many ideas need to be talked about.
"Do we raise user fees? Cut teaching staff? Implement bus fees? We have some tough decisions to make," she said.
Over the next weeks, the School Committee will have extra morning meetings with administrators to discuss options. The budget and finance subcommittee plans to meet Jan. 8 to crunch numbers and get an exact picture of what the future holds for the budget.
"We need to look collectively with administrators to understand how to move forward," committee member George Moker said. "We are looking at tough decisions in tough times. No one on this committee has seen money issues like this. Decisions now and next year will impact the future."
Moker also explained that, from what he knows, fiscal year 2011 will bring a $500,000 shortfall and 2012 a $1.5 million deficit.
"We will have to take redirection to a whole new level," he said.
Jacobs encouraged parents to call or e-mail her with any questions or concerns.
Upcoming meetings on the topic will be held Jan. 8 at 8:30 a.m. at the Perley School and Jan. 14 at 7 p.m. at Town Hall in the third-floor meeting room.
