Belts will tighten at the Pembroke Elementary School in September to help deal with a $91,380 loss in state subsidy. Superintendent Terry Lux and two members of the school committee met with Pembroke selectmen June 23 to present the budget that voters will consider at the annual town meeting July 28.

With little "wriggle room" to cut mandated programs and services, Lux said two staff positions were eliminated, a teacher and an ed tech, to achieve a reduction of $57,028 in salaries and benefits. Students in pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and first grade will be regrouped to accommodate the loss of the teacher, who had resigned to accept another job offer. The other position, a special education personal assistant, was eliminated when the student's program changed.

In addition, Lux said a new provision has been added to the contract of Principal Deborah Jamieson that would permit her to be assigned part-time teaching duties "if that becomes necessary."

The planned cuts were more than offset by cost increases beyond the committee's control, Lux explained, including anticipated bus and heating fuel increases totaling $30,000 or 94% over the current year.

The net additional cost to local taxpayers will be $27,347 for the 2008-09 school year, Lux said, a 4% increase, which Selectman Milan Jamieson estimated would amount to "about half a mill."

Pembroke voters will see several changes this year in the way school budgets are adopted as a result of the new Essential Programs and Services Funding Act. The number of school articles in the warrant for the July 28 meeting will triple. The budget approved at the town meeting will then be considered again by voters in a referendum election to be scheduled within 10 days. If voters fail to approve the budget in the referendum, another town meeting must be convened, followed by another referendum. The process is repeated until voters approve a budget. Until voter approval is achieved, the prior year's budget would control school operations.

Selectmen questioned how many students use the "late bus" from Washington Academy, suggesting it could be eliminated if only used by one or two passengers. Committee member Katie Evans said there are usually "four or five" youngsters who stay for after school activities and use the service. School committee chair Tammy Pulk noted that the tax increase would be the first one for school purposes in three years.

The budget includes a built-in contingency fund of $10,000 that could be drawn upon in case of an unanticipated need, as well as $87,878 carried over in surplus.

Lux advised selectmen that the projected date for the dissolution of school unions is June 30, 2009, when the Regional School Unit (RSU) structure becomes effective under the state school consolidation law. However, she said she understands that the petition drive to repeal the legislation has attracted 50,000 signatures, only 5,000 short of the number required, with about six months to the deadline.