Town Administrator's Capital Budget Fully Funds Technology Request For Schools

Easton Town Administrator David Colton told selectmen Monday night that he is recommending the town fully fund the school department's capital budget request for technology.

His decision overrides Easton's Capital Planning Committee, which recommended the town include $50,000 worth of the School Department's $173,000 request, the majority of which was dedicated for wireless internet funding in Easton Middle School and the Olmsted-Richardson schools.

Colton's Capital Budget also differs from the Capital Planning Committee in that it will not include pavement management road funding for the Department of Public Works. He said his decision is based on the fact that a bill is currently before the State Legislature that could increase state aid for roads by 1/3.

"Although it’s unlikely that the entire packet will be passed, I do expect some increase so I think we better see what that is before we recommend more funding," he said.

In all, Colton's Capital Budget is $2.9 million - slightly less than the $3 million recommended by the Capital Planning Committee. The Capital Budget is funded by a combination of borrowing and available funds.

The process for developing the budget was explained in a memo to Selectmen:

As you know, each year the Town of Easton follows a capital planning process wherein department heads submit their capital proposals to the Capital Committee. The committee reviews these requests and submits a recommended priority listing to the Town Administrator. It is then the Town Administrator's responsibility to finalize the Capital Budget and submit it to the Selectmen and Finance Committee. I want to acknowledge and thank the Capital Committee for the many hours it has spent reviewing and prioritizing the many requests. This year has been a particularly difficult one because a large number of necessary and worthy requests have come forward. These requests totaled $4,655,521.

Colton's revised capital budget will likely come as welcome news to the Easton School Committee, which - in light of the Capital Committee's recommendation last month - voted to allow Superintendent Michael Green to draft a separate Town Meeting Warrant article for technology funding up to $250,000.

Although the School Department's original plan was to use the capital budget to fund wireless in Olmsted-Richardson and Easton Middle School with an intention to fund the three K-2 schools in the future, the Warrant Article would have added wireless to all of Easton's schools (Oliver Ames High School was already funded for wireless through School Naming Funds this past year).

Colton said he "did not feel comfortable" recommending funding beyond the $173,000 originally requested.

As of Monday, Easton's latest draft warrant featured an article dedicated to technology in the schools. The School Committee is scheduled to meet Wednesday morning to discuss the issue.

Selectman Ellen Barlow agreed with Colton's decision to fully fund the School Department's request in the capital budget.

"I back funding that," she said. "Up until fairly recently, the only tech funding for schools came through FEEE and in this day and age you cant depend on parents and outside fundraising to do that. Its really become main stream. It’s not cutting edge anymore."

Colton also made his point clear in his memo to Selectmen:

We live in a wireless world. Our homes are wireless, our offices and all variety of workplace rely increasingly on hand-held devices that improve our efficiency. Despite this huge amount of recent advancement, the sense is that we have only scratched the surface potential that these devices and the wireless world offers. The debate over whether our public schools ought to join this world and offer our students all of this potential should come to an end. This is no longer cutting edge; rather it is mainstream and necessary. The world of technology continues to advance and we should take care that our graduates are prepared to compete in this world for jobs and further educational opportunities.