Quabbin School Committee Approves $209,000 in Budget Transfers, Eyes Building Reuse

BARRE — April 24, 2018 — Quabbin Regional School Committee approves $209,000 in budget transfers and mulls New Braintree school reuse. The committee voted 11-1 on April 24 to shift $105,052 in E-Rate reimbursement funds into classroom technology and $104,479 from special education tuition reserves to cover legal and contracted-services overages. Superintendent Maureen Marshall proposed a six-to-eight-week task force — to include committee members David des Champs and Deborah Chamberlain and the New Braintree representative — to explore partnering with a 67-year-old regional disability-services agency to use the New Braintree elementary school for adult and special education programming, a arrangement Marshall said "would be a first in the Commonwealth." Business Manager Cheryl LeBaron warned that food service losses at Hubbardston and New Braintree-Oakham are running at 95 to 97 percent labor-and-food cost ratios, translating to losses of up to 50 cents per plate, a problem that will deepen if those students return to their home buildings next year. The FY19 district budget holds at $34,173,990, with updated House budget figures trimming town assessment increases slightly — Barre's projected increase falling from 4.71 to 4.48 percent.