By GREG VINE

For the Athol Daily News

Published: 10/23/2019 9:55:09 PM

TEMPLETON – In the wake of the third joint town meeting of Templeton and Phillipston voters and a quickly-convened school committee meeting, the issue of a fiscal year 2020 budget for the Narragansett Regional School District remains unresolved.

Following often passionate debate Tuesday night voters, by the slimmest of margins, voted to approve a $19.5 million budget for the district, over $250,000 less than the more-than $19.7 million budget recommended by the school committee.

Narragansett District Education Association President Erick Eiben was among those arguing for the higher of the two figures.

“We, the teachers of the Narragansett School District are going to fight for our children and our classrooms,” he said. “The tissues we give them when their noses bleed, the pencils we give them when they don’t have them, the lunches that we give them when they don’t come with food; all of that has to come from somewhere, and your dedicated teachers provide that.”

“We need to do something,” Eiben continued, “because we’re going to be back here again. Let’s vote the higher number and fix the problem.”

“I just want to say,” said Templeton resident Sue Ocoin, arguing for the lower figure, “that the $19.5 number, from what I have been told, and in my opinion, is all the town can afford. Yes, we need teachers, but we need (the) fire (department), we need the senior center, we need the food pantry, we need meals on wheels. There are more people in this town than just the kids, and from what I’ve seen and from the children that I know, the people who are graduating from the school district are doing okay.”

Templeton Selectboard Chair said, “(The school department) can’t survive living off the same money every year, so we understand that their needs are going to increase. We understand also that they’re under tremendous pressure for not getting fully funded for transportation. They also have an antiquated foundation budget that’s working against them.”

When it comes to Templeton’s assessment for its portion of the budget, Currie said, “We can weather a 2.5 percent increase, so we added around four- or $500,000 on top of what we spent last year. But, $19.5 is the amendment we have out there so, hopefully, we figure this out here tonight.”

Templeton Advisory Committee Chair Tony DeJoy offered an amendment to split the difference between the competing budgets, putting forward a proposal for a $19.6 million spending package. That amendment, however, was shot down by a vote of 226-155.

Two very close votes followed.

One to approve the school committee’s recommendation was defeated on a recount by a margin of 214-209, after an original count showed the plan being rejected 207-205.

The vote to approve the $19.5 million budget passed by a mere six votes, 210-204.

After the town meeting adjourned, the school committee gathered to discuss its next step. Members weighed the pros and cons of either sticking with their original figure, opting to go with DeJoy’s proposed compromise, or endorsing the town meeting’s decision.

There was a great deal of discussion on exactly where cuts would be made if the committee went with either of the two lower numbers. The main concern was whether a reduction in the $19.7 million proposal would lead to kindergarten and first-grade students at Phillipston Memorial Elementary School having to be yanked from their classrooms in the middle of the academic year to be bused to Templeton Elementary. A number of staff cuts were also discussed.

A motion to go with the $19.5 million figure was defeated by a vote of 5-3 in favor. A 6-2 majority was required for approval.

The committee decided to convene again next Tuesday to discuss its next move. If it fails to certify a FY20 budget by Dec. 1, the state Dept. of Elementary and Secondary Education will impose a budget on the district.