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Ms.. Bradshaw commented on the quality of education in the I laashpee schools, stating that <br /> there are more students applying to more selective colleges, there is a strong special education <br /> program, there are academic enrichment programs, advance placement courses, and Mashpee <br /> still has a comprehensive curriculum in place. <br /> William Johnson asked about prepayments that were made at the end of last fiscalY ear or <br /> prepayments that have been made for FY o12. Ms. Bradshaw stated that there have been no <br /> prepayments for FY 2012 to date, but they may occur Moser to the end of the school year. <br /> Ms. Bradshaw explained that the school receives discounts for certain prepayments, but not for <br /> special education transportation. Ms. Bradshaw stated that the benefit to the school for <br /> prepayment of non-disc u nt costs was that it provide.d provide. funds for other purposes, suNch-ass <br /> staffing, William Johnson stated that, in other words, the town approves a certain budget and <br /> as long as you stay within that budget, it is okay. <br /> Mark Davini asked for further clarification: the school is pre-paying $400,000 in advance for <br /> something you need next year, because next year you will be $4400,000 short in the budget. <br /> Mark asked why the current budget can't be operating on the current amount of money that <br /> comes in. Ms. Bradshaw'stated that if the school had done that this year, they would have had <br /> to cut 17 instead of the 11 positions this year. Ms. Bradshaw stated that they could turn back <br /> extra funds to the Town at the end of the year to go into the general fund, but this is not to their <br /> advantage. <br /> Ms. Bradshaw stated that the school is building its budget for next year without pre-pays, but if <br /> pre-pays are possible, it would be an advantage to the school. Ms. Bradshaw stated that the <br /> school is going to meed an additional third grade teacher, and a math coach. <br /> William Johnson asked'Ms. Bradshaw about any negotiations with the unions regarding a lower <br /> rate of COLA this year, with budget salaries going up °o. Ms. Bradshaw stated that the <br /> following union concessions were made: <br /> 0 para-professionals agreed to work four fewer days for the year <br /> • more teaching time for elementary specialists—five extra periods per week per teacher <br /> 0 third year of contract, guidance counselor's will work four more days during the year <br /> William Johnson voiced his surprise that the union negotiators were not more favorably inclined <br /> toward the town and the taxpayer in these difficult economic times, and lois feeling is that the <br /> town will have a hard time this year accepting any school salary increases. <br /> Ms. Bradshaw stated that the school has no contingency plan in place in the event that the town <br /> does not approve the $18,887,708 budget being presented. <br /> Mark Davini asked Ms. Bradshaw whether there were additional budget items beyond the three <br /> previously listed that are more estimates than hard core figures. Ann Bradshaw stated that the <br /> only other"floating 31 numbers would be state and federal grants, substitute teachers, number of <br /> teachers retiring, and perhaps replacement of copier machines. <br /> William Johnson stated his feeling that the use of pre-pays is actually working against the <br /> school's best interests. To understand a budget is to understand what is the real spending, and <br /> that is not true with the school budget. It gives a false impression of what is happening with the <br /> money. Mark Davini suited that the Finance Committee is talking about budget process. The <br /> process of money being budgeted to the school that is floating without knowing what it will be <br />