For the upcoming referendum, voters will be deciding a budget totaling $60,016,400; the municipal side comprises $24,810,584 while the Board of Education has the remainder of $35,205,816. Both of these budgets are at a zero percent increase.

Spending for Watertown overall, however, is not at a zero percent, as there is $1.4 million in bond payments, a portion of which pays for the school renovations which were recently completed at Watertown High School and Judson School. Voters approved these projects at referendum in 2007.

"These are very challenging times in the community and across the state," said Superintendent of Schools Karen Baldwin. "I hope that the community exercises its right to vote in the referendum."

Ms. Baldwin continued, "this zero percent budget reflects the same level of spending as the previous year, although we are reduced by nine teaching positions across the school system."

However, Ms. Baldwin noted that the Watertown School System will attempt to minimize the detriments of a challenging budget as much as possible.

"Despite this, our core mission does not change," said Ms. Baldwin. "We have to be prepared to welcome 3,300 students into our schools and begin educating them in two weeks."

As in previous referendums, both questions must be approved for the budget to pass. The municipal budget has remained at zero percent, as it has since the first referendum, and has been approved by voters each time.

The Board of Education budget has been reduced from one percent to zero, which was discussed by the Board of Education Finance Subcommittee held at special meeting on Wednesday, August 12.

The $438,906 in reductions will bring the BOE budget to a zero percent increase, or $35,205,816 in total spending for the upcoming referendum on Tuesday, August 25.

At the August 12 meeting, Ms. Baldwin provided a breakdown of all the reductions, of which $86,848 is realized from a furlough day, leaving $352,058 to be derived from school staff, programming and infrastructure.

Before discussion got underway, BOE Finance Subcommittee Chairman Tom Lambert stated, "I have a little something to say. I want to thank everyone in advance for your continued support of this committee."

Regarding the school budget, Mr. Lambert commented, "I don't think we should leave anything off the table tonight, whether it be administration, programming, courses, union wage freezes, possibly anything anyone has on their minds."

The Superintendent's recommendations for reducing the BOE budget from a one percent increase to a zero percent increase are as follows:

Degree advancement will be reduced by $3,000.

Ms. Baldwin stated, "we sent out a form in January asking teachers to tell us of an anticipated degree change. Based on that, we can reduce this by $3,000."

A reduction of $13,262 will be reduced from the negotiations with non-certified staff.

Ms. Baldwin explained to the BOE that, the general wage increase place holder is 3.5 percent.

"We recently settled with the food service workers on a three percent in year one," said Ms. Baldwin. "Based on settlements across the state, we are recommending we reduce the place holder of 3.5 to three percent."

A reduction of $2,785 will be made to the substitute account. Ms. Baldwin noted this number results from staff reductions. A reduction of $3,449 from benefits will occur as well as $6,258 from truck lease payments.

A reduction of $19,978 from a secretary position will be made.

"Recently we reorganized the central office and had other responsibilities absorbed in the assistant superintendent role," said Ms. Baldwin. "That change resulted in savings on the administration side. That work is now being housed in the Munson House; therefore it seemed reasonable to make the reduction."

An additional $38,600 will be realized by subsidizing a portion of a special education teacher's salary with the IDEA (The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) grant.

The BOE is also saving money from resignations, as more experienced staff departs the Watertown School System, replacement hirings can come at lower cost due to the pay scale at which they are hired. From two resignations in the Watertown High School Guidance Department, $38,326 will be saved

Further savings by resignations in the music and Spanish Departments will be $27,303.

A reconfiguration of the sixth grade team at Swift Middle School will realize $40,076. The decision to not replace a Family and Consumer Sciences teacher at Swift adds $51,089 to the reductions.

The rest of the total reductions will be realized by reducing courses at the Watertown High School. Limiting the offerings in business education at Watertown High School will result in a $42,506 reduction. An additional $104,182 will come from reductions to physical education and health offerings. The reduction of a grade one section at John Trumbull Primary School will render $48,092 in savings.

Following Ms. Baldwin's review of suggested reductions, BOE members expressed concern over the appraisals of New England Association of Schools and College's [NEASC] in regard to course reductions.

NEASC had placed the accreditation of Watertown High School on probation status, due to limited extracurricular course offerings.

Ms. Baldwin responded that NEASC will not be taking course reductions in a negative light, because "they are seeing these kind of reductions all over the state."