CLARKSBURG, Mass. — Town and school officials came together on Monday in hopes of compromising over a tight budget. 

 

Instead, they ended up agreeing to dip into their reserves to ensure that prekindergarten program will continue free for town residents. 

 

The Select Board had been pushing for the school budget to come in at a 2 percent increase. The School Committee on Monday was prepared to vote a budget up by $128,454, or 4.53 percent.

 

After an hour and a half of discussion, the school budget had gone up $1,000 to $2,967,609.58 and town officials agreed to commit $72,000 in free cash they'd wanted to set aside for the school roof. 

 

"Your budget's gone up today not down," said Town Administrator Carl McKinney. "That's not the goal here."

 

"I know that," responded Supertentendent John Franzoni. "But we did what you wanted us to do."

 

School officials had proposed to charge $300 a month for the prekindergarten program for 4-year-olds that was expected to bring in at least $30,000 a year.