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Whittier Regional Vocational Technical School will operate on a $32.4 million budget next school year, 3.29% higher than the current budget, after its School Committee approved it Wednesday without any formal public comment.
Chair Scott W. Wood Jr. opened the required public hearing, held as a special meeting prior to the regular School Committee session, and then a minute later called for a vote to close the hearing after no one stepped up to the microphone with questions or comments. The Committee then voted unanimously to adopt the budget as presented by school Superintendent, Maureen A. Lynch.
Business Manager Kara Kosmes explained the budget is split into a $31.7 million operating budget and $695,000 for capital expenses with the total about $1.1 million higher than this year’s budget. That breaks down to a per pupil cost of $24,675 for the 2025-2026 school year placing the school at fifth from the bottom in spending compared to other vocational technical schools in the state, she said. The school has an enrollment of 1,283 with the majority, 857 students, coming from Haverhill. Other communities in the Whittier Tech district are Amesbury, Georgetown, Groveland, Ipswich, Merrimac, Newbury, Newburyport, Rowley, Salisbury and West Newbury.
Next year’s budget includes $959,177 more for salaries, and $58,387 for technology expenses. The capital budget will pay for updating classroom heating and cooling units, aging electrical panels and a gymnasium heater. Kosmes said the budget did not increase as much as many had anticipated it might because the amount the school will pay into its self-funding health insurance program increased by just 5%. Other districts, she said, are seeing much higher percentage increases for staff health insurance coverage.
During the regular School Committee meeting Shawn Regan, the school district’s liaison for the proposed joint school campus with Northern Essex Community College, reported on the results of the Municipal Working Group meeting earlier in the day.
“Today was the best one yet, in my opinion, as it included two Rowley Select Board members. As you know Rowley had been the lone holdout from prior Working Group meetings so we have participation from every city and town in the district now.
Regan said the representatives of all 11 communities agreed to paying for a $2.5 million feasibility study. Lynch committed $500,000 towards the study from school district funds and Northern Essex President Lane Glenn committed another $500,000 to reduce the cost of the study for the 11 member communities.
Regan said if the Massachusetts School Building Authority approves the project for partial state reimbursement, the communities would then have a year to pay their portions. The communities would also have to approve a new community agreement, as WHAV reported previously.
Prior to the special hearing on the proposed budget, Building Manager Robert D. Hardy gave the Plant Operations Subcommittee of Richard P. Early Jr., Ronald Fitzgerald, Brett Murphy, Michael Rossi and Kurt Slevoski an update on the planned inspection of the school’s aging wastewater treatment plant. He said the system’s two tanks will be drained during school vacation week in mid-April and inspectors will then inspect the tanks and report on whether they can be repaired or must be replaced. The aging plant has been a component of the drive to repair or replace the school.
Following the budget vote the School Committee adjourned and then shortly readjourned for the annual reorganization meeting. Wood was unanimously re-elected as chair as was Fitzgerald as vice-chair. Lisa O’Connor and Johanna True were both re-elected as secretary and assistant treasurer. Kevin Mahoney, who was not in attendance, was re-elected the school’s treasurer.