Bay Path budget rises 0.6 percent; All but two town assessments are up.

Byline: Debbie LaPlaca

CHARLTON - The Southern Worcester County Regional Vocational School Committee has adopted a $16.4 million fiscal 2010 budget for Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School and set the assessments for the district's 10 member towns.

The school committee's vote followed a public hearing in March on the spending plan, which calls for a .6 percent increase of $105,053 over the current fiscal year. The new fiscal year begins July 1.

Business Manager John Lefleche reported the budget is built on $9.2 million in Chapter 70 state aid, $692,000 in state aid for transportation and $6.2 million in town assessments.

While the state has not increased Chapter 70 aid, the school district's 10 member towns will contribute 1.9 percent or $116,106 more than this year. Mr. LeFleche said the budget calls for the use of $308,000 from district reserves to waive transportation assessments to the towns.

Although student enrollment has increased in some towns and decreased in others, the net projected enrollment is 1,098, an increase of just three students.

The spending plan is predicated on the governor's budget and is subject to revision pending a final act by the state Legislature.

The 2010 town assessments are: Auburn: $861,809, down $74,430; Charlton: $667,069, up $13,663; Dudley: $380,417, up $20,668; North Brookfield: $289,280, up $61,708; Oxford: $1 million, up $8,225; Paxton: $178,344, up $14,660; Rutland: $303,145, up $669; Southbridge: $1.3 million, up $118,248; Spencer: $526,565, up $70,452, and Webster: $688,047, down $117,757.