By JULIE CUNNINGHAM

(Orange, MA) Orange held its annual town meeting last night. During the meeting, the school budget for FY2021 was debated and approved. As presented, the Orange Public School budget was level funded at $11,486,801. The Ralph C. Mahar budget was presented at $4,278,860. The requested budget was $4,618,518. The recommended budget for Orange Elementary Schools was $6,625,072.

Peter Cross, chair of the Mahar Regional School Committee, moved that the Mahar Regional School Assessment to $4,786,345, which is an increase of $507,485. Patricia Smith, vice chair of the Mahar Regional School Committee, spoke briefly at the meeting about the six percent cut that the level budget would mean for Mahar. Smith said that when they voted in May about a level funded budget it represented an increase in the contribution from the town, due to an increase in the amount of Orange children in the school system in the Spring. Smith said that even with this increased contribution, layoffs were still anticipated with increased health insurance premium costs. The six percent reduction in funds presented in the level funded budget, Smith said, means eliminating 15 staff position and some sports, extra curricular activities and clubs that are available for students. Smith fears that the cuts will mean fewer families will choose to send their children to Mahar through School of Choice or will choose to use School of Choice programs to move their children out of Mahar.

Keith LaRiviere, chair of the Finance Committee, criticized the increase for the Ralph C. Mahar Regional School as “crippling” the town and creating massive layoffs throughout most of the town.

“Can we do with fewer police officers, can we do with fewer fire fighters and EMTs. We only have six people who work for the highway department, how many of those do you want to lose?” LaRiviere argued passionately. “The budget recommendation is now a lower amount of dollars,” LaRiviere went on.

Other residents argued that a line to line budget has not been presented from the school so it is clear where the money is being spent and where the cuts are going to be made before $500,000 is taken from the town safety services, highway services, and elementary schools to fund the massive budget increase. Under Proposition 2 1/2 property taxes would be increased in Orange to help offset the costs. It is unclear what kind of property tax increase Proposition 2 1/2 would mean for Orange home owners.

After realizing an error, Cross changed his amended budget to, 4,618,582 which represents and adjusted increase of $339,722. George Hunt mentioned that the State Aid is up in the air this year and will probably be cut, and the determination about whether school will be remote in the fall has not been made. Hunt said that a lot of these issues will not be resolved in the fall.

After a voice count, hand count, and standing count the amendment to increase the amount by $339,722 was approved by 230 in favor to 122 opposed. The amended Ralph C. Mahar Regional School budget is $4,618,582, $339,722 of which is subject to Proposition 2 1/2.

Cuts to Technical and Vocational Schools were explained in terms of the number of children attending the school, which LaRiviere said decreased. There was a question about transportation to Technical and Vocational Schools, specifically confusion over the $0 amount allocated to Smith Vocational. Since no children from Orange currently attend Smith Vocational, no money was allocated for transportation. However, money was allocated for transportation to Franklin Technical School. The total budget for Orange Education going to Technical Schools was left without an amendment. The total Orange Education budget with the amendment amount increased to $11,826,523.

$208,000 was moved to the Dexter Park School for asbestos removal and repair the floors, and extend the life of the school by three to four years. Bruce Scherer, Chair of the School Building Committee, said that currently there is not a building to house grades four through six because the building has been condemned. These repairs will allow children to re-enter the school in a safe manner when it is time. The funding was passed by a 2/3 vote.

$57,697,704 was allocated to a new school facility at the Fisher Hill Elementary School. Scherer said the School Building Committee has exhausted over 20 different options and this is the recommendation of the School Building Committee and many other Orange boards and committees including the School Committee, Finance Committee, and Board of Selectmen.

“We are about to vote on the future of our school system,” said Scherer. “Dexter park school is a 7o year old building sitting at the edge of a swamp.”

Critics argue that Dexter Park is a failed building, but so is Fisher Hill. Critics argue that Fisher Hill is a bad site for elementary age students to attend school and the $57,000,000 amount is too expensive and will amount to $500-$1,000 in increased taxes yearly. Others argued that brick and mortar education may not return as we know it and the historic Butterfield School might be a viable alternative if State mandated repairs were lifted.

With a grant for the MSBA, Orange will be left to pay $23,000,000 out of the $57,000,000 cost for the new school building. However, to receive the grant Orange must meet the MSBA guidelines. If Orange does not meet the MSBA guidelines Orange must pay the total $57,000,000 amount. After a standing vote, the article was approved almost unanimously with 16 opposed and 300 in favor.

The meeting in its entirety broadcasted on Athol Orange Community Television can be found here.