The primary focus of the meeting was the financial challenges faced by the Milton Community Schools’ summer camp at Tucker. A comprehensive review highlighted the necessity for a 10% fee increase, raising the weekly cost from $373 to approximately $410. This adjustment aims to bridge an overall deficit, with Camp Tucker alone recording an $83,000 loss last year, despite Camp Cunningham generating a $63,000 profit, resulting in a combined shortfall of about $20,000. The committee emphasized that this fee increase is not intended to generate profit but to achieve a break-even status essential for sustainability.

Martha, a representative present at the meeting, detailed the proposed changes, supported by comparative data from various summer programs. She outlined that earlier registration, proposed to start in January instead of March, could mitigate conflicts with other programs and boost enrollment. Last summer, Camp Tucker’s enrollment figures fell short of expectations, with total enrollment reaching 87 campers against a daily capacity of 80. The enrollment was distributed unevenly across three sessions, prompting concerns about the camp’s financial viability.

The dialogue also tackled the challenges of staffing and expenses, given that the current $11 per hour compensation for staff does not reflect the demands of running a summer camp. The committee acknowledged that the first year of Camp Tucker functioned as a pilot, making it difficult to project future revenue accurately. Suggestions included allowing weekly enrollments instead of the current two-week sessions, although this posed administrative challenges.

The conversation underscored the importance of understanding real cost drivers and their impact on the financial model. Participants noted the lack of pool access at Tucker, unlike at the Kim Cunningham site, which potentially affects enrollment. In an effort to engage campers, alternative activities like outdoor water games were discussed, though these would require careful planning to adhere to safety regulations.

Another topic was the potential to extend enrollment opportunities beyond Milton residents to fill camp capacity and increase revenue. The committee explored the idea of a secondary enrollment round for non-residents post-Milton student registration, though this remains contingent on available capacity.

In addition to summer programming, the committee addressed staffing changes within the district, notably the proposal to increase the assistant superintendent for teaching and learning role from a part-time to a full-time position. This change coincides with the non-filling of the fine arts and performing arts director position and aims to better support the district’s music and arts programs. The financial implications include a $32,538 increase for the assistant superintendent role and a $5,139 prorated amount for a new lead teacher role.

Finally, the committee discussed meeting scheduling adjustments due to conflicts with prior engagements. A proposal was made to shift further budget discussions to a later date, allowing more time to incorporate insights from upcoming meetings with town representatives about health insurance costs. The committee aims to finalize the budget by the first school committee meeting in February.