North Andover selectmen vote for town manager's budget
NORTH ANDOVER — Selectmen voted to send Town Manager Mark Rees' recommended $77.4 million budget to the Finance Committee last night.
The vote to recommend came after a presentation by School Superintendent James Marini and School Committee Chairwoman Barbara Whidden who came to explain why they thought the School Department needed $36.9 million instead of the $36.1 million Rees recommended.
"We've been sweeping through this thing to take out as much as we can and still live with it," Marini said, explaining why the extra money is needed.
He said the money would go toward three teachers and a part-time guidance counselor at the elementary schools; staff at the high school to restore physical education and add classes in art, music and computers; four coaches to make sure all the athletics programs can keep going; and two special education staff to make sure the school provides the special education services that are necessary by law.
School Committee members already scheduled a meeting for this Thursday at 7 p.m. at the high school to decide what they would have to cut from the budget if they get less than the $36.9 million they recommended. They will be meeting with the Finance Committee next week. The Finance Committee decides which budget goes to Town Meeting to be voted on.
Selectmen praised the School Committee and Marini for having an easy-to-read and understandable budget that clearly shows why the money is needed and where the money is going. Selectman Tom Licciardello said the willingness of the School Committee to work with the selectmen on the budget is refreshing compared with past years.
The budget recommended by the selectmen is a 3.3 percent increase over the fiscal year 2008 spending plan, which was $74.9 million.
