Geoff Grove, the chairman of the committee on appropriations in Barrington, said it was the group's intention to "send a message" when it recommended the elimination of a $1.2 million increase to the school budget.

Mr. Grove said his committee's action should serve as a notice to all that during this year's budget cycle, everything is "not business as usual."

School officials stunned by $1.2M cut to requested increase.

Mr. Grove said appropriations members based their recommendation as a review of the entire budget — the school budget, the municipal budget and the capital improvement budget. The town also recently approved a $68.4 million bond to build a new middle school. 

"You can't look at things separately," said Mr. Grove, "and the debt service is a big part of the budget."

Mr. Grove said last year's total budget increase was about $1.962 million, while this year's increase is expected to be about $5.405 million. That change will result in a tax increase for all property owners in Barrington; some residents are concerned they will not be able to afford their larger tax bills.

During a meeting on Tuesday night, April 25, appropriations member Chad Mollica made a motion to level-fund the school department budget and the municipal budget, and to reduce the capital improvements budget by about $50,000.

The school department had been seeking a $1.2 million increase to cover contractual obligations and state and federal mandates, while the municipal government had requested a $361,717 increase. Much of that increase was slated to cover the addition of four new firefighter positions.

The committee on appropriations later amended their motion to include about $270,000 for the firefighter positions.

"This is a difficult balancing act," said Mr. Grove. 

Appropriations member Richard Staples voted against Mr. Mollica's motion. In fact, Mr. Staples had lodged an earlier motion to approve all budgets (and their respective increases) as they had been presented earlier. Mr. Staples's motion failed to receive a second.

"I am disappointed that the motion failed to get a second," he said, adding that if it had been seconded, then members could have possibly found a compromise. "I never got the chance to compromise."

Mr. Staples said he does not agree with the assertion that the budget should be viewed as a whole. He said members of his committee should have handled each part of the budget separately.