Region 7 budget passed

REGION 7 — The Region 7 School District budget referendum passed overwhelmingly Tuesday, May 5, in each of the school’s four feeder towns, Barkhamsted, New Hartford, Norfolk and Colebrook.

Presenting a budget with a zero-percent increase, Northwestern administrators said they were responding to the requests of the leadership in the four towns, who asked for a flat budget this year. There was little dissent as the towns went into last week’s vote.

While the school’s budget was kept to a zero-percent increase, the cost of tuition to the towns did not stay the same, since tuition is charged to the towns based on the number of students who will be attending the school for that year. Determined by anticipated attendance on Oct. 1, 2008, Northwestern calculated that three of the four towns would see an increase in students for the 2009-10 fiscal year, with Barkhamsted at plus 10, New Hartford plus nine and Norfolk plus seven. Colebrook is expecting four fewer students to attend Northwestern.

Based on those numbers, Barkhamsted will be looking at an increase in its assessment from last year equal to $45,057. Norfolk will also see an increase of $68,593. While New Hartford is sending more students, the town’s total cost will actually decrease by $36,905 from last year, since the town is charged a greater percentage based on its size. Colebrook, which saw a dramatic increase last year, will see a $100,649 reduction.