ORANGE — The Mahar School Committee on Tuesday night approved a $12.3 million preliminary budget, cut down from the $12.5 million projected in March and matching this year’s budget to the dollar.
The $12.5 million budget represented a modest 1.65 percent increase, despite projected revenue losses, and administrators said at the time they were looking to cut that roughly $200,000 increase.
The preliminary budget approved following Tuesday’s public hearing includes a $137,405 cut from the teacher salary line and $131,298 from maintenance.
Superintendent Tari Thomas spoke again of “right-sizing” the district in light of declining enrollment.
Director of Finance and Operations Daniel Haynes said enrollment is down by 41 students this year.
Maggie Lawless, representing the teachers’ union president, urged the committee to note that the district is going on nine years with a level budget. Staff members are more than worried, she said.
“I think there has been a lot of stress on younger teachers, not knowing if they have a job or not,” Lawless said.
In March, Thomas spoke of cutting four additional teachers positions. Asked by Chairman Peter Cross, Thomas said she did not have an update on that.
The portion of students receiving special education is increasing, and represents 23 percent of spending, according to district figures.
Haynes called the budget responsible, and Thomas pointed to standardized testing scores on par with statewide figures.
Kathy Reinig, chairwoman of the Orange Board of Selectmen, said the Board of Selectmen met last week with Rep. Susannah Whipps Lee and told her of the difficulties posed by the slight increases in state aid to the district, and the increasing special education costs.
Reinig also commended the district for maintaining the policy of no athletic fees.
The middle and high school regional district is composed of the towns of Orange, New Salem, Wendell and Petersham.
Proposed assessments are as follows:
New Salem: $679,619, a 4.69 percent increase.
Orange: $3,997,282, a 1.66 percent increase.
Petersham: $780,682, an 8.23 percent decrease.
Wendell: $323,869, a 9.91 percent increase.
Haynes said Wendell was the only town with increased enrollment.