Board of Ed adopts $123.8 million budget

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The most talked-about issue was the elimination of the pre-K school bus matrons. Matrons, drivers and parents voiced their fears about student safety if they were to lose that extra help and supervision. “Those matrons are our eyes while we have to look out the window,” said one district bus driver.

After the board determined that the cost of replacing all of the matrons would be around $130,000, trustees said that the benefits of keeping them far outweighed the expense. “[That] is chump change in a budget of $123 million,” said Ryan.

DeVito informed the board that specific line items in the budget could still be adjusted. During its vote, the board directed school officials to reconfigure the numbers and restore all of the bus matrons.

There will be a final budget hearing on May 14, and the vote will take place on May 21.

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