Manchester Essex schools cannot mail the Essex Elementary booklet to homes, state campaign finance office says; first budget draft comes Nov. 25

The Manchester Essex Regional School Committee learned Tuesday, Nov. 3, that the district cannot mail its guide to the new Essex Elementary School to every home before the Nov. 16 town meetings. The state's Office of Campaign and Political Finance told the district that because the debt exclusion is already on the Dec. 10 ballot, school money cannot pay to send the booklet out. The guide is posted on the district's website and will be handed out at town meeting. (Read our notes from the Oct. 20 meeting, where the committee voted to borrow up to $95.3 million for the project.)

What happened

• The project booklet, video and documents are online only; the district may not mail or push them out, but outside groups may print and share them.
• The district spent $6.26 million, or 18 percent of its budget, in the first quarter, about the same pace as last year. Long term staff absences are the one line the finance director is watching.
• The first draft of the fiscal 2028 budget comes Nov. 25, and the budget hearing is Dec. 9.
• The late bus carried 37 different students on 112 rides in October.
• The teachers union president asked that the teacher and paraprofessional units bargain together, and said the goal for paraprofessionals is a living wage.

The building project

Theresa Whitman, the committee's representative on the Essex School Building Committee, said that committee spent its Oct. 27 meeting on how to talk about the project. (Read what the building committee decided Oct. 27.) Members agreed to focus on three things: helping people understand why the project is as big as it is, what is at stake if it does not pass, and what it means for students across the district. She said most of the questions she hears were answered early in the feasibility study, and that the people she talks to are not against the idea so much as worried about a hard ask at a tough time. The last community meeting was set for Nov. 4, and she planned drop in office hours at the Essex library on Friday from 1 to 2 p.m. and Monday evening.

Superintendent Pam Beaudoin said the district had meant to mail the booklet to every home, as it does with the budget book each spring. The campaign finance office said no, twice, because the ballot question already exists. The district can post everything online, hand out copies at town meeting, and tell people where to find the information, but cannot send the 10 minute project video to the public access channel or push it to groups. Finance Director Michelle Cresta showed the project landing page, which holds the videos, the schematic design report and the documents the district sent to the state.

The committee voted to let Sarah Stone send the committee's letter on the project to the local newspapers on its behalf. The letter runs about 755 words.

First quarter spending

Cresta presented the first budget to actual report for fiscal 2027. As of Sept. 30 the district had spent $6.26 million, 18 percent of the budget, compared with 19 percent at the same point last year. Personnel costs were $2.1 million, or 10 percent, because most school year payroll does not start until September. Operating expenses were $4.1 million, or 32 percent, because several categories are paid up front or once a year. (See how the district's $33.7 million budget fits together.)

The district's revolving and special funds hold $12.9 million, including school choice, circuit breaker, student activity and retiree benefit money. The stabilization fund is down to about $960,000 after paying the district's share of the Essex school feasibility study, with no other commitments against it. Cresta said she is watching the cost of long term employee leaves and substitute coverage, which has been higher than usual two months into the year. A new online billing system is working, and all of the bills for the new morning program at Essex Elementary were paid within days.

A Finance Subcommittee member said nothing in the report raised a flag.

Next year's budget

Budget packets have gone to the principals. The committee gets its first draft Nov. 25, reviews it the following week, and holds the budget hearing Dec. 9, where the district tells the two towns what it expects to ask for. The committee will set its priorities at its Nov. 17 meeting. One member asked the administration to keep growth tight, given what taxpayers face with the building project, and to keep studying school choice and fees. Beaudoin said she sees no new variables for next year beyond the usual ones, such as health insurance. (See how Cape Ann's three school budgets compare.)

Other reports

• Union bargaining: The president of the Manchester Essex Teachers Association asked during public comment that Unit A, the teachers, and Unit B, the paraprofessionals, bargain at the same table this cycle to the greatest extent possible. The committee met in executive session on bargaining strategy before the open meeting.
• Policies: The Policy Subcommittee plans first reads on Nov. 17 of a seclusion and restraint policy and a freedom to read policy on library book selection and challenges, which a new state law requires districts to adopt. It is also reviewing the fundraising and student activity policies.
• Assessment review: The annual review of test results was moved to Nov. 17 to give it time. Changes to the program of studies and graduation requirements, to meet the state's new requirements, are likely to come Dec. 15.
• Late bus and morning program: The late bus returned Nov. 2. In October it carried 37 different students on 112 rides. Members called it a safety issue, since the alternative for some students is biking home on School Street.
• Weekend party: Members asked about a large weekend party off school grounds that many student athletes attended. District administrators said the police report named no student in possession of alcohol and no charges were filed, and that the students involved met with their teams and will do community service to stay in good standing for athletics. One member said that does not match the message athletes get at preseason meetings, where being present where alcohol is served is described as a violation.
• Election day: Some parents were uneasy about voters coming and going near the preschool at Memorial School on election day. One answer was that Memorial was built with a separate community entrance for voters, and that putting a professional development day or conference day on election day could be discussed when the next district calendar is set.
• Other dates: The joint meeting of the district and the two towns was set for Thursday, Nov. 5, with the two town moderators invited. A special education parent workshop is Nov. 14, and the fall play is Nov. 20.

What was decided

• Consent agenda (accounts payable vouchers 1025 to 1028, the Oct. 22 payroll voucher and the Oct. 20 minutes): approved by roll call, all yes, from the meeting video.
• Letter on the Essex Elementary School project to the local newspapers, with final edits left to Sarah Stone: approved, all in favor, from the meeting video.

What happens next

• Nov. 10: Essex School Building Committee, 6 p.m., Manchester Memorial Elementary School cafeteria.
• Nov. 16: special town meetings in Manchester-by-the-Sea and Essex vote on the borrowing article.
• Nov. 17: School Committee, 6 p.m., with the assessment review, policy first reads, the budget priorities discussion and the reappointment of town representatives that the chair said would be added to the agenda.
• Nov. 25: first draft of the fiscal 2028 budget to the committee.
• Dec. 9: budget hearing.
• Dec. 10: ballot votes in both towns on the debt exclusion.

Where to find the records

• School Committee agenda, Nov. 3
• Meeting video, on the public access channel
• Minutes of the Oct. 20 meeting, approved Nov. 3
• School Committee agendas page, where minutes are posted when approved

Earlier coverage: the Nov. 3 agenda (Nov. 3), the preview; the Oct. 20 borrowing vote (Nov. 5); how this year's $33.7 million budget fits together (Nov. 4).

How we did this: Cape Ann Current watched the meeting online and checked names against the agenda and the committee's member directory. These are our meeting notes, not the committee's minutes.