Selectmen, School Committee Reach Compromise School Budget To Present to Framingham Town Meeting

After several multi-hour closed door meetings, Framingham’s Town Manager, Chief Financial Officer, School Superintendent, School Committee and Selectmen have reached a compromise budget number for the 2015-16 school year to present to Framingham Town Meeting to vote on later this month.

The deal was announced Thursday night.

Framingham Selectmen approved the compromise budget 4-0 (Jason Smith was absent), said Selectmen Vice Chair Michael Bower, who is also a former School Committee Chair.

The Framingham School Committee voted in a 6-0 (Eric Silverman was absent) vote to support the CFO’s updated recommended Fiscal Year 2016 budget of $115,731,953.

“This collaborative vote was achieved based on the balancing of the school district’s critical needs and that of our town’s services,” said Framingham School Committee Chair Beverly Hugo. “Although it is a fiscally responsible budget that was achieved in conjunction with the financial leaders in our town, we do hope to work creatively and efficiently to make this allocation work for all students in our school system.”

Framingham’s Chief Financial Officer Mary Ellen Kelley originally was recommending Framingham Town Meeting approve a public school budget of $114.9 million for the 2015-16 school year. The $114.9 million figure recommends a level services budget for the school district.

Framingham Superintendent of Schools Stacy Scott was recommending a $116 million budget for the 2015-16 school year, a $6.6 million increase over the current budget of $109.4 million. The School Committee voted in April for Town Meeting to approve the $116 million budget.