2.48% increase in school budget.

Byline: Betty Lilyestrom

LEICESTER - The School Committee will present a fiscal 2009 school budget of $16.08 million to voters at the annual town meeting Monday.

The budget, approved at the committee's meeting Monday night, is 2.48 percent higher than this year's, but down from the 5.3 percent increase the committee had sought earlier in the budget deliberations. But it is up from the 2 percent increase figure of $16.01 million selectmen had originally sought.

"We have to see if we can run the schools with $16,088,929," said committee Chairman Scott M. Rieder. "I think we can." The committee is relying on paying some of next year's bills from this year's budget and on grants at 5.3 percent.

Mr. Armington warned that voters who support the effort should be at the town meeting. A 90 percent approval is required at the town meeting because the budget takes $75,000 from the stabilization fund, which is money kept in reserve.

Also Monday, the School Committee narrowed its choice for the town's new superintendent of schools from three to two candidates, but postponed taking

a final vote on the post because two members said they still had questions they want answered.

The committee said it had eliminated James Connolly of Florence, principal of Hampshire Regional High School in Westhampton, from the list of finalists, leaving the choice between Peter Azar of Winchendon, superintendent of schools in that community, and Paul Soojian of Leicester, superintendent of schools in Northbridge.

In the past few weeks, the committee interviewed all three finalists and visited the sites where they are now serving.

"I have no more questions, I'm ready to vote tonight," said Mr. Armington.

"I have some really serious ideological questions I need to have answered before I can vote," said committee vice chairman Tammy Dillon. "I need to know if one man has a strong advocacy for the underdog kid and I'm not comfortable yet about how he deals with parents and students."

Committee member Linda Looft said she, too, needed to ask more questions of the two finalists.

"They are both strong candidates," she said, "but they have two very different management styles. I need to make sure that we get the right style for this town."

Both committee members said they would be contacting the two candidates and asking their questions this week. The committee then agreed to meet at 9 a.m. Saturday at Leicester High School and may choose the town's new superintendent of schools.

NAME: LEICESTER SCHOOL COMMITTEE