Gill-Montague School Committee Approves COVID Budget Transfers, 2021 Calendar

GILL -- April 28, 2020, Gill-Montague School Committee unanimously approves COVID budget transfers and sets an August 24 staff start date for the 2020-2021 school year. Meeting remotely on April 28, the committee voted to approve a package of COVID-related budget transfers including $24,000 for food service and nurse supplies, a facilities transfer for sanitizing equipment, and a technology transfer covering at least 350 new Chromebooks and an online HR platform. The board also approved a 22 percent bus rate reduction for the approximately 60 remaining school days and a separate meal-delivery contract at $71.25 per bus per day, with total delivery costs estimated at roughly $10,000. The district moved $100,000 from its Chapter 71 transportation reimbursement account into a transportation revolving account, with the superintendent warning that "state money for education is going to be cut considerably" and saying a detailed budget-reduction briefing would come at the May 12 meeting. The district projects ending the year with roughly $144,000 in revenue surplus, $100,000 in expense savings, a school choice revolving balance just under $800,000, and circuit breaker reserves of approximately $250,000.