Regional school officials present budget; Foster's share rises 0.73%

Renee Palazzo, superintendent of the Foster–Gloucester regional schools, and Amanda Raymond, the regional business manager, presented the regional school budget to the Foster Town Council on Feb. 20 and asked for the council’s support ahead of the regional financial town meeting.

Palazzo said the region’s budget represents a 2.76% overall increase and explained that negotiated salary increases and the loss of ESSER COVID funds were the primary drivers. "Our budget came in at a 2.76 overall increase for the region," she told the council. Amanda Raymond added that certified staff contracts carried a 2.5% salary increase and noncertified contracts a 3% increase; she also noted that ESSER funding that had held positions in place during the pandemic has expired.

For Foster residents: Palazzo said Foster’s portion of the regional increase amounts to a 0.73% rise in the town’s assessment. The regional financial town meeting is scheduled for March 19 at 7 p.m. in the high school auditorium; the presenters offered to return to answer additional council questions before March 19 and provided materials to be circulated to council members.

Why it matters: the regional budget affects the town’s school tax assessment and staffing stability. Officials said the district has retained positions funded temporarily by ESSER and now must absorb those costs into recurring local budgets.

Next steps: school officials said they will provide packet materials to the council and attend an upcoming council meeting (March 7) to address detailed questions; the Foster council resisted no action and accepted the presentation and scheduling of subsequent review.