School Committee Wades into Budget Minutia

The Franklin School Committee met Tuesday evening, primarily to focus on the budget, hearing a lengthy presentation from Superintendent Dr. Sara Ahern and Miriam Goodman, School Business Administrator.

The numbers were mostly familiar but the team reiterated that Franklin spends less per student than many other school districts. Ahern repeatedly urged members of the public to review the FY23 budget and the related presentation available for viewing or download at the School Committee website. Ahern also presented her recommended budget.

Later in the meeting, Committee Chair Denise Spencer read each line item in the budget – description and amount – offering members of the committee with questions or concerns to say “hold,” which would give a chance for a deeper diver after the reading was completed. A substantial number of the line items elicited a “hold” from one member or another – or sometimes multiple members.

So, after completing the reading the Committee dove into more discussions. Most of the questions raised were simply someone looking for a clarification on the meaning or purpose of a given expense – or context relative to other planned spending.

At about ten minutes to 9, the subject was exhausted and Spencer requested and got a motion and vote to close the budget hearing and move on to other school business.

This phase included a review, mostly by Ahern, of goings on in the schools including:

* Accomplishments by DECA and the FHS theatre company.

* A second place showing by the Academic Decathlon team in the large school League,

* Accolades for multiple Franklin students in the Massachusetts Science and Engineering Fair.]

* high school gymnastics team won the New England championship.

* Cheerleading team won national honor in Florida.

* Substance Abuse Task Force Critical Conversations coming up

* Best buddies’ prom just concluded

* Planning for All Night Party is underway.