Board of Selectmen Fire department Police department Other Finance Committee Municipal Budget School Committee Finance Buildings Other Sub-Com. School Budget Great Barrington Budget: From Development to Town Meeting Approval (January – May) for Fiscal Year Ending June 30th $12.5Million $12.0 Million GB BOS and Finance Committee Review Vote Analysis GB BOS and Finance Committee Review Annual Town Meeting (May) Sup’t /Business Manager Town Manager Presentation Finance Comm. Previews Budget in March; Town has “Mini-Town Meeting” in April when Q & A are taken 1

MUNICIPALITY 1 BOS and Finance Comm. agree on “Budget Policy” which sets the assumptions of the budget to be developed. The different Town departments prepare their budget which is divided into Operating budget and Capital expenditures. Town Manager consolidates. 2 These are presented to the GB Board of selectmen and Finance Committee and discussed; 3 Amendments are made, by dept. and line items. These are either approved or disapproved by each body. SCHOOL 4 The Business Manager uses estimates to see what a “level program” budget would be, factoring in union contracts, inflation and estimated students. At the same time, different school departments prepare their budgets which is divided in Operating budget and Capital and dept. The Business Manager consolidates and presents to their Finance Subcommittee. They consider whether changes should be made in programs, operating and capital expenditures. 5. These and other scenarios and State funding assumptions are presented to the School Committee and approved in January and presented in early February. Individual Town Boards then discuss the proposed School budget. 6 In early March, State funding assumptions for schools are formally provided and budgets are School budgets are adjusted accordingly. In early March, GB’s BOS and Finance Comm. meet and vote on the School budget. CONSOLIDATION Depending upon the impact of the School budget, municipal budgets are sometimes adjusted to manage the tax rate. The municipal and School budgets are voted on separately by the BOS and Finance Committee. Any differences between the BOS and Finance Committee are printed in April for the Annual Town Meeting in early May. Two preview meetings are held to communicate to the public: the Finance Committee presentation and Mini-Town meeting. Superintendent makes presentation at these meetings at ATM. 7 At ATM, municipal capital expenditures are voted separately from operating budget; major departmental expenses are called out and during this process, line item changes are entertained and voted upon. For School budget, no changes are entertained; the School budget is an “all or nothing” item at the Annual Town Meeting. (for more details see next slide on Budget approval process). If budget is not approved, another Town Meeting would be held to approve by end of fiscal year (June 30th). The complete organization of the town of great Barrington can be found at School Committee members can be found at Organization of sub-committees can be found 2 Great Barrington Budget: From Development to Town Meeting Approval (January – May) for Fiscal Year Ending June 30th

Budget Approval process approved Amended on floor No Yes No Yes Municipal BudgetSchool Budget Special town meeting A P B P U R D O G V E E T D Approved by GB, S & WS A P B P U R D O G V E E T D Yes: 3 Towns No: 2 TownsNo: 1 TownNo: 3 Towns Special town(s ) meeting(s) No If two towns reject the budget If three towns reject the budget Budget is determined by State giving 1/12 th of last year budget each month until budget is approved for dissenting town(s). Special meeting(s) have to take place for dissenting towns SC must develop a new budget and all 3 must have special town meetings to approve. If two towns accept the budget, it carries. The other town would need to hold another ATM to formally approve. 3

The main potential problem here is that: – if Great Barrington which pays 70% of the budget disapproves it – but Stockbridge and West-Stockbridge approve it it is considered valid !!! If the district agreement is revised, it should address this issue. where they say in (2) Initial Action by the Local Appropriating Authorities that "Notwithstanding provisions in the regional agreement to the contrary, approval of the budget shall require an affirmative vote of the appropriating authorities of two-thirds of the members." Budget Approval process 4

Zoom on the School Budget and how it is funded $12,5Millions Operating Budget Capital + Debt Staff Salaries & Every day bills + Reserves “Called out by department” with line item consideration Major investments & funding voted as major groups Consolidated School Annual Budget Foundation Budget According to Massachusetts, how much Education should cost for the district (GB, S & WS) 1 Minimum Local Contribution According to the calculation of Massachusetts, WHAT MINIMUM each town of the district has to pay. Extra Local Contribution CH 70 State aid Head count Wealth GB S WS GB S WS 5

1 Massachusetts calculates a "foundation budget" which is designed to represent the total cost of providing an adequate education for all students. 2 Massachusetts calculates a Minimum Local Contribution based on property value and other specifics of the district to establish how much the district must contribute towards the foundation budget. 3 The eventual gap between those two previous numbers will be covered by Massachusetts and is known as the chapter 70 State Aid 4 The district is in fact paying much more than The Foundation Budget, adding an Extra Local Contribution Information Zoom on the School Budget and how it is funded 6