Recommended Budget is up by 4.6 Percent

School up 3.2 percent; Town up 7.7 percent

By Arch Weathers

The Andover Budget Committee recommends budgets for 2020 (net of expenses that are funded by non-tax sources) as follows:

Net Budgets 2019 2020 change pct
School $5,655,656 $5,837,386 $181,730 3.2%
Town $2,135,236 $2,299,611 $164,375 7.7%
Fire $137,440 $162,788 $25,348 18.4%
TOTAL $7,928,332 $8,299,785 $371,453 4.6%


What effect this increase in budgetary spending will have on the 2020 tax rate depends on the amounts of other offsetting revenues that become available. 

Andover School Budget

The recommended net appropriation for the Andover School District for fiscal year 2020-21, including warrant articles, is $5,837,386. This is up $181,730 (3.2%) over last year. 

The proposed budget includes significant increases in high school tuition ($70,435), Special Ed contractual services ($21,500), Operations and Maintenance ($59,528) and Collective Bargaining ($76,263). Offsetting these increases is a reduction of $48,820 due to retirement in Sp. Ed teachers and administration.

Andover Town Budget

The recommended net Budget for 2020 including Warrant Articles comes to$2,299,611.  This is up over the 2019 net appropriation by $164,375 (up 7.7%).
 
Areas of increase include approximately $76,000 for full time employee health insurance, $40,000 for computer technology, $9,700 assessing. Departments showing decreases are Police ($2,000) and Highway ($7,100).

Andover Fire District

The recommended 2020 budget for the Andover Fire District is $162,788, up $25,348 over the budget for the previous year.  A major component of this increase is the purchase of a vehicle for $20,000.

Annual Meetings

The meetings at which these budgets will be discussed and voted upon are:

School District Meeting:   Monday, March 2, 2020, 7:00 PM
Town Meeting:                 Tuesday, March 10, 2020, 7:00 PM
Fire District Meeting:       Tuesday, March XX, 2020, 7:00 PM