I mean, I'm just going to say we I was on the committee for the senior center last year, so I see how much work went into that. So, by the way, Al can't be involved. If there's an override, we'd have to form a committee. People would have to put in time. There was tons of private money spent for campaigning. Mailings were sent, signs were made. So, everyone out there that feels so passionately about this budget, hopefully willing to chip in, spend your time, your money, and you know, to get this campaign going because that's what's going to be needed. And we did that for the it was called the Boilston Betterment. What was it called? We had it last year. There were signs there and they spent their time and money and the fire station did pass, but the senior center did not. and they spent tons of time and tons of money and it didn't pass.
So for us, if an override does not pass, we need to understand what happens to our budget and what are the what are the effects. So that's where I'm coming from. I would love to get all of this. I I feel it. I hear but this is what it's like third or fourth year doing this. And this isn't just a year a year where we stack town meeting and everybody votes. This is where everybody votes and then it goes to ballot which just like we said in Boilston last year the senior center passed it in town meeting it did not pass on ballot. So I mean then you're you're and then what happens if we do that and it doesn't pass on ballot. Do we I don't think we as a district do we know what the steps are? Let's say it passes in Berlin but not in Boilston.
>> That would be a failed it would be a failed >> it would be a fail. So, >> so then we have a meeting and then another town meeting, >> right? Would we have another town meeting, another I don't know how that works or if it if it doesn't pass prop two and I have no idea. So, it would be good to have that information going in. I say let's vote on the ceiling. So, if there's anything else >> the information, Megan is if it doesn't pass, it doesn't pass. It's a failed budget. We'd have to go through the the process special town meeting and then if that doesn't pass then it's >> But every time we have a town meeting, will they have a ballot vote? I would assume if it doesn't pass at that point, there would be some major cuts. >> There's a couple statutory rounds.
Um I would need to refresh myself on those. I looked at them a couple years ago. Um it would definitely be another special town meeting. um you know again with all the posting restrictions things like that then you go to um there's either a point where um it goes to select boards it goes to um a combined meeting of the of both towns that come together um and the school committee kind of runs that one. >> Yeah. >> Um and then if if all of those don't pass that's when you end up in the 112th budget. You had a 112 budget, which means you're back. We're not at the one with the increases. We're at this year's budget, right? >> Yes. So, you're looking at draconian cuts. >> You're looking at draconian cuts. Exactly. At least for the summer. >> We want to avoid that at all costs.
And again, it's not just going >> So, we want to avoid that, but we're talking about adding like $300,000 on top of what we're already told. >> Yes. Yeah. We we have to check at our regional agreement about that because there's some verbiage in there about what would take place as well too. So >> that's what I mean. I I can't >> you have to look at our regional agreement about the whole budget process as well too. >> Berlin's pretty familiar with it. We went through that there's there's specific laws. Yeah. >> Yeah. Uh sorry. Do you want to make a public comment? >> I wanted to ask so then can all this even be done in time for the teachers contracts because I feel like that was a problem in Burl last year too. >> No. Like if we don't if we do have to have another special town meeting, you have to mail the thing.
You have to have x amount of days. If the teachers contracts are like >> Oh, you're talking about the June 15th. >> Yeah. You go. We do exactly what happens. >> It would be No, it would happen after that. >> Happened two years ago. Yeah. You might have to >> That's not a problem. >> No, it's a problem. >> It's a problem. It's all >> So then then other people try to find other jobs. That's right. You'd make you'd make that those huge cuts, right? And then bring people back. There are many districts that Eron and I work for that we make you have to send out those letters making cuts and then you bring them back. But a lot of times you lose those those teachers because they go >> other over the summer or something like that. That's when you're really like we we managed to save those off before the summer hit.
If we go all the way into summer, >> I mean the teacher who gets a layoff must be foolish. >> That's right. >> Right. So, and the unemployment prices that go a short time. We still have people that left. >> That's coming from lots of town. So, you're going to have a lot of teachers. >> So, that's what we're faced against. So, I'm just worried about that. And knowing that a senior center did not pass in Boilston last year. There's a group of people that's not happy about that. I can't imagine these people are going to be like, "Oh, yeah, but let's spend the money on the schools." So that's my fear is that you know um it it's I I just worry about that. But right now until we've got some solid numbers it would be again I think it would be very helpful to see where Berlin is because if Berlin's like yeah we can do this then it changes it a bit.
>> I I don't I don't quote me on this but I don't think Berlin is at a two and a half this year. >> They're not in the situation boys. >> Yes. Yeah, that's what I said this year. Yeah, Jason, you want to come up? >> Yeah, it's a hearing. Come on up. >> That's right. >> I wasn't going to talk, but I guess you're not off the hook. >> No, we want to hear about this. Um, Jason, Berlin, um, two kids here. Um, I didn't come with prepared remarks, so let me find my words. I apologize. But um like as as a parent hearing and we've got to add biology teacher, ELA coach, and you know me, I'm the numbers nerd. I've already run it on my spreadsheet. Like the the incremental cost to me as a taxpayer is not burdensome. My my own personal opinion, my own personal finances.
I'm scared crapless. >> Go ahead. No, no, >> not if, but when. Now, maybe it's two years, possibly as soon as next year. Maybe we get away with three years, but it's coming. But Berlin is my my money is on Berlin will face overright within the next couple few years and we're having the same conversation as you. And so I I'm I'm with you. It's a fair question. You know, like last year you went through the budget and found, oh, we're overpaying on contractors. That's a nice savings. Like, are there other stones left unturned? I mean, that's really what what I want to know. Like, are are there things that we can make some tradeoffs on? Um, it like honestly why why was biology teacher the first thing cut? Like what else did we decide to keep before that? like understanding what those moving parts are um would be immensely helpful because I think the people that we have to convince are not the people who dedicate >> they're not >> way more time and energy than I'm willing to and the people who who come and show up to public hearing.
I I think we're preaching to the choir. The the people that would need to hear about these challenges are the people that were were yelling on the floor of town meeting in Berlin. I I don't know about oil, but like yelling at each other. >> Oh, they're watching this, trust me. And so, but not only that, but the people who don't even bother to show up to town meetings who are going to get a ballot. >> Yeah. >> And so, the those are the people that that we have to try to sway their opinion. The people in this room, the people around this table, I I think we're so like I I don't think we're the ones that that need the convincing. And I'm super worried I if if we put these things back in the budget on and in a year or two we're talking about taking them back off again and probably a lot.
You know, I I looked up on DLS and in the last two years overrides are only winning 47%. We we have a higher if history is an indicator, we have a higher probability of losing an override than winning one. So, it's not a foregone conclusion that we'll just put it to the voters and say, "All right, yep, I'll take the incremental tax hit. I'm I'm I'm willing to, but there's a lot of people out there that aren't." Um, and and for all the work that you guys have done, you know, I think we're a long way to restoring trust. if we can buy oursel another year or two to to try to try to finish that job showing that we've left no stones unturned. Um it's it's it's a very steep mountain to climb. I I'm worried it will be a very steep mountain to climb if and when we have to go to override Boilston's already there.
>> Yeah, >> we had an over we had a debt inclusion last year. So everybody's taxes already went up in Boilston. So what are the chances that in Boilston we bring it again this year and people again vote when not only did did we vote we did so we voted on a fire station which our taxes went up it was like very high. Yes. But the senior center did not so the fire station was what 17 million that passed the the whatever it was the $4 million senior center did not pass. So >> So Megan what but what do you say? So you're saying an override is not going to pass and if we don't hit boilston's number it's going to be an override but then at the same time you're you're fighting to put these things on. So should we maybe vote for the bees assessment down to the boilston number >> unless there's something else that they want to cut and if they're saying that those that everything that's already there's nothing else in the budget that needs they want to cut.
John came up here you guys said that was your number one. Is there something else in the budget that you want to cut or is the answer no? I think what we have in front of us right now is their answer. Whatever we vote tonight between now and whatever conversations happen with the towns, there'll be discussions and looking for things like no stone unturned, right? Like >> that's right. >> They'll be looking for you. Yeah. >> So, I have a question. Do you know that those numbers are solid? >> No, to get a high school biology teacher or is it >> those have to be estimates? We don't know that's the exact cost. We have a salary schedule and and we have you know health insurance costs hope that you know we get in a little under that but I you know we may only get applicants who are higher than that even but we may get a position someone who's under that.
So we try to balance to the middle. That's just your estimate. >> But what could happen, which would be the only reason that I would be in support of voting the higher way higher number tonight, is Aaron could go back to the drawing board and something could change, right, that would lower something else so that we could Now, again, I think we're just voting on the number tonight. So, I guess if something else changed, then we'd be able to afford something else. We wouldn't We're not voting. The only things that could change, correct me if I'm wrong, Aaron, the only things that could change would be state 70 and 71, >> or we could decide to cut something. >> Yeah. I mean, Jan, like I said, Janelle and I talk daily over this almost. I mean, we we could have, you know, a cost change.
Um, you know, if you're I mean, if you're willing, we could look at the two-year outlook on some students who might be aging out, but that, you know, then you start getting into riskier territory the further out you look, right? So, we just tried to look at at those first years. That would be a two-year commitment. So, you'd have to to balance that additional money for two years. Um, you know, I Beth, you know, Beth's 30,000 for the the the overlap with the superintendent. Surely that that could be, you know, funded, but that's not going to get us all the way. It's going to do a little bit. And every little I I absolutely agree. Every little bit matters. And I promise you, I've spent every single day going through our budget, our spending, our 25 numbers, where we are today 26 for as many line items as possible.
You know, it's hard to look at a $500 line, I would imagine. But, you know, you know, and all of our energy costs, where are we trending? Where are we looking? You know, can we fill the tank this year and leave it empty at the end of next year? like what can we do to try to to balance this off, right? We're filling tanks right now so that maybe next year's a little better. You know that and that's just hope for the future. >> Is the governor's budget like final? Is it final at 75 or is it 150? >> Is what Laura? >> We did 150 a student last year. Is the governor's budget final at 75? Is that >> So So the the governor's budget is Yes. So it was 150 last year that happened in like July, right? So we don't have that time.
If if the legislature met tomorrow and they approved a higher number, I would put that higher number in there. >> Agreed. But knowing that's coming, >> but legislature isn't meeting tomorrow and it's going to be at least a couple months before they do anything. So everyone uses the governor's budget to base their initial budget on. The reason I'm able to put that 200,000 of excess in deficiency and I get comfortable with that number is because it went up to 150 postbudget and we actually are putting that money in the bank. So I'm comfortable spending that because it's excess that we received. >> So all right we have a public comment. >> So Laura Williamson Berlin I just had a question um more basically to high school. Um what is the high school science graduation requirement? Is it three or four years of a lab science?
>> Three years. So if you don't have that science teacher, is that not allowing students such as seniors take a science their senior year? Like that's also kind of the questions I'm I'm looking at is like we're ticky tacking, but like children are not going to be able to go to a higher education because they weren't able to fit physics in their schedule. they weren't able to fit chemistry in their schedule. Like this is a no-brainer. Like we need to have the classes necessary for further engagement in life. And you can say, "Oh, they should go to a vote school, but you're not going to get physics in a vote school." You know, >> everybody realizes that comment was a joke, right? Like there was to make that to make a point. >> That comment was to make a point to sell the story. >> A little too hard sometimes.
>> My bad. Okay. Everybody knows it was a joke. That was a joke. That was >> It was a joke. Hold on. Terrible. Terrible stuff. Terrible. I'm saying that was a joke that we're not even offering basic physics because there's not enough teachers. Like they're taking B biology, then they're taking chemistry, and then oh, it doesn't fit in my schedule. Like I have high schoolers here and one couldn't take French three because he really wanted to take computer science. They offer one computer science in this entire school. >> You put them in a lane when you do this and then they cannot get off the lane because they've committed to this lane as in night. >> They want to do it. That's what he wants to do for a living and we have one option for him. >> And so like we have to look ahead.
We need to branch out. But I know my kids are at the top. They're taking AP classes. But if we don't have a science teacher, you don't have a biology B. Do you know what I'm saying? So adding a biology teacher or a science teacher is going to touch every single child in this school. It's going to touch those AP kids. It's going to touch those biology B kids. Like we need to think about what can we do the most with the littlest amount. And to me, it's a biology teacher and it's a reading specialist. And I know that the elementary schools are saying, "But if we start at the elementary school, guess what? It's too late. These kids that are here right now, they're already behind. We have to help those kids. So, we need to start prioritizing, I think, those holes." And that's why I see them as holes.