Arlington Select Board and School District Board Joint Budget Special Meeting February 19, 2025 Minutes
Select Board Members Attending: Jamie Paustian, Dan Harvey, Cynthia Browning
Select Board Members absent: Matt Bykowski, Glenn Sherman
School Board Members Attending: Nicol Whalen, Jessica Elwell, Todd Wilkins, Dan Wood, Teresa Sweet
School Board Members absent: None
Others present: Nick Zaiac
1. Call to Order by Nicol Whalen at 5:38 pm
2. Additions or Deletions from the Agenda: None
3. New Business
3.1 Budget overview from town and school
Chairperson Nicol Whalen gave a budget presentation explaining the school budget including overviews of topline figures. She noted that effectively the entirety of the budget increase is due to changes in salaries and benefits. She took extra time to explain the Common Level of Appraisal (CLA) and property tax yield, and their effect on the budget. She noted that “Assessments” by the Southwest Vermont Supervisory Union have decreased, and gave some further detail on that topic on question from Cynthia Browning. There was a brief question on what the funding earmarked for paying back a bond had been for, with Member Wilkins explaining that it was primarily roof and insulation work. There was a question on tuition, and its effect on the overall budget, with a citizen questioning the high cost per student for Southwest Tech. Member Wilkins explained the rate is per “full time equivalent”(FTE) student, of which we are assessed for 8 FTE, while we sent 23 part time students, making the actual rate per student much lower than the topline figure. She then handed the meeting off to Chairman Harvey of the Select Board.
Mr. Harvey gave a budget presentation explaining the town budget including overviews of topline figures. He noted that like the school, the vast majority of the budget increase was associated with benefits and wages, with healthcare making up more than 50% of the change. There was a brief discussion of appraisals and their effect on tax rates. There was a brief discussion of proposals to transition to a less-costly healthcare model for staff, which the Select Board related did not happen due to the decision having to have been made just after hiring multiple new staff members. Mr. McClafferty asked what the wage rate change was, with member Harvey noting 3% with some slightly greater adjustments within the Highway Department. He also asked whether the overall headcount in the government has changed, with member Harvey responding “no” with the caveat that we will be filling the long-running Treasurer Assistant position to help with tax collection and added budget to facilitate transition in the Clerk’s office. He finished with a question on “what is not in the budget”, to which the Town Administrator responded “there is nothing interesting included in the budget”, with member Browning noting that the Board used a large amount of funds including ARPA funds in recent years on equipment, so this year there is almost no new equipment spending.
Finding no other questions, Mr. Harvey brought the discussion to a close.
4. Public Comments unrelated to items on the agenda: None
6. Adjournment: Motion to adjourn Cynthia Browning, Seconded by Jamie Paustian, approved. Meeting adjourned at 6:19 pm.
Respectfully submitted by Nick Zaiac