The Up-Island Regional School Committee Monday night approved a fiscal year 2019 budget of $12.4 million. After reimbursements and revenue offsets, the amount to be assessed on member towns is $11.9 million, about 5.1 percent greater than the current year’s budget. The towns of Chilmark, West Tisbury, and Aquinnah comprise the Up-Island Regional School District.
The school district’s budget was affected by increases in contractual obligations and by cuts in state support, events which have affected other Island education budgets. The Up-Island district budget was approved 4-1, with Jeffrey “Skipper” Manter the lone dissenter.
Committee members discussed the impact of a one-third increase ($343,000) in assessment to Aquinnah as a result of a bump in students attending Chimark and West Tisbury schools. Aquinnah will send 40 students down-Island for education next year, nine more students than currently, an increase of nearly 26 percent.
Aquinnah does not have a school. Its total annual town budget is about $4.4 million. The committee decided to pass the budget and work with Aquinnah to find solutions if the town cannot afford the assessment increase. The Up-Island group will meet with Aquinnah finance committee members on the subject at its next meeting, Jan. 22 in Aquinnah.
The committee also voted to create three warrant articles related to capital projects to be considered by voters in the three towns at annual town meeting next spring. They are installation of a Phase III fire alarm system at the West Tisbury School, and heating and air conditioning upgrades and window replacements at the Chilmark School.