MIDDLEBURY-SOUTHBURY - When the Region 15 Board of Education convened the public hearing on the 2007-08 budget Monday, April 9, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Frank Sippy was able to announce that since he presented the budget to the board on February 26, $144,700 had been shaved off the bottom line because of reduction in medical insurance costs.

Minus the debt service line item, which is required by statute to be included in the operating budget, the impact would reduce the increase to 3.56 percent over the 2006-07 budget.

Chairman Joseph Drauss noted that the increase was the lowest in seven years. Board member David Erwin said the proposal was very positive and extremely well done.

The preferred descriptive was "foundational." In other words, only the most urgent needs were to be addressed, wish lists deferred for one year or to undetermined future budgets and new courses would be offered dependent on subscription.

Some $150,000 of the $440,000 due to ERP savings was returned to Middlebury and Southbury and the remainder earmarked for urgent repairs to the region's buildings, the largest appropriation for Gainfield Elementary School.

In short, although no member quite dared to forecast a landslide of support in the referendum on May 2, there was the sense that the outlook seemed hopeful.

In tones ranging from frustration to indignation to sarcasm, a group of Gainfield parents, and one-third grade Gainfield child, came forward to describe in graphic detail the shocking condition of this building: Buckets in the classroom as rain and melting snow poured down, water streaming through the roof, asbestos containment, air quality, mold, pesticides, classes held in a closet (not a closet space, but an actual "closet" closet with things on shelves), lax security with doors opening to the outside within reach of public parking where a child could be snatched.

Not even to mention that the portable classrooms have long passed their allotted life span. The ambiance was not conducive to education. Comparison with the new town library across the street was inevitable.

Dr. Sippy's note that a study was underway to determine the extent of the work at Gainfield was summarily rejected, as "an insult to our intelligence" and "inexcusable when water is running through the roof."

Eileen Strange, as well as everything else, took the board to task for canceled meetings, meetings that lasted 12 minutes, 14 minutes and consisted of presentations rather than discussions, giving the impression of done deals.

Mr. Drauss explained that much of the board's work takes place in the two standing committees, Finance and Personnel Policies/Curriculum, with voting by the full board in the regular meetings.

On the subject of public support at the polls, Joseph Zukoski recalled the failed referendums on acquiring property for a new school building in 1999-2000, the last of which went down by 84 votes.

Responding to suggestions that money for Gainfield could be found in other parts of the budget such as the lights at Edward Arum Field or the ERP refund or allocating funds to advertise the budget, Dr. Sippy pointed out the difference between dealing with public versus private money.

There are state mandates and statutes that have to be strictly followed. "It's not like the private sector. We can't advocate for the budget. Money must be returned to the town."

In a meeting that lasted 20 minutes (including the Pledge of Allegiance), before retiring for executive session, the board voted to adopt the 2007-08 budget in the amount of $56,131,224.

The District Meeting will take place on Tuesday May 1, at Pomperaug High School at 7:30 p.m. and the referendum on Wednesday, May 2, at Shepardson Community Center, Middlebury, and the Southbury Firehouse, Main Street South, from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

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