Groton School Board Prepares To Redistrict

The Board of Education voted Monday night to submit a $74.86 million dollar budget to the town of Groton. The budget is 3.14 percent more than the current year’s budget and includes a last minute addition of $100,000, which was inserted to cover the transportation costs of redistricting students if the town demands a budget with a zero percent increase. 

“The status quo unfortunately represents a 3.14 (percent) increase,” said Board Chairperson Brian Shirvell. “I suspect the town council will knock that number down.” 

If forced to submit a budget with a zero percent increase, the board will likely vote to close a middle school before electing to cut instructional programs. 

“It’s just cramming kids into old schools with no path to go forward,” said Shirvell. 

Throughout the budget review sessions, the board considered scenarios such as whether construction begins on a new middle school next year or not. If construction begins, the budget would be 1.12 percent more than the current year. But the construction plan has yet to make it onto the May's referendum ballot. With so many factors up in the air, the board voted to submit a budget that represents the status quo–with three middles schools open. 

“We haven’t voted on consolidation. We haven’t gone to referendum on phase two  so this is the budget to continue," said Shirvell. “This (budget reflects) what we know.” 

Superintendent Paul Kadri has argued that building a new school will save taxpayers money, but the town will have to move quickly. 

Kadri and board members learned that the state is reducing subsidies for new construction, but the reduction will not affect projects started before April 1, 2012. 

Kadri said he hopes the $133 million dollar bond ordinance to fund new schools will pass in May, so Groton can take advantage of state subsidies that would reimburse approximately 66 percent of the project. 

“If we start (building) by next year, we’ll get the full amount,” Kadri said. “If the referendum passes, I’ll go out there (on March 31) an start building something myself.”