Barnstable Town Council approves Schools, Airport, Police FY22 budgets
Bronwen Howells Walsh
The Barnstable Town Council on Thursday approved a $73,520,899 FY 22 public schools budget, a $1,047,000 increase over FY 21 that places increasing emphasis on mental health services and English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction. Schools are playing a greater role in delivering mental health services, Mayo-Brown said. Counseling services are key and go hand in hand with academic services.
The district s largest spending increases 2017-20, according to Gareth Markwell, Barnstable s assistant Finance director: 35% increase in spending on English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction; 33% increase in guidance counselors; 32% increase for reading; 31% increase in art, applied technology and technology maintenance; a 27% increase in kindergarten instruction; and a 26% increase in math.
A boost to arts and tourism
“This funding is critical to shining a bright light on the beauty, power and depth that arts and culture have on our region,” she said in an announcement of the state grant.
By showcasing cultural offerings, Wake said, “we have an opportunity to not only provide exposure, but an essential boost to our artists and arts organizations that desperately need all the help they can get.”
The foundation’s grant is the largest of the 14 grants distributed to Cape and Islands organizations. Those represent nearly one-quarter of the 59 grants and about 19% of the more than $1.58 million in funding available through the newly created Travel and Tourism Recovery Grant Pilot Program.
Sherry Greene-Starr lives about 100 feet from the railroad tracks in West Barnstable. She’s always taken walks along the tracks, but during the pandemic she’s strolled the route more frequently.
The tracks have been strewn with trash for years, she said, but recently she’s noticed more litter than usual.
“There’s just garbage everywhere,” said Greene-Starr, who is married to Barnstable Town Councilor Gordon Starr of Precinct 1.
Precinct 11 Councilor Kristine Clark also noticed litter piling up along the route taken by a Mass Coastal Railroad train that carries the Cape’s trash from the waste transfer station in Yarmouth to SEMASS, a waste-to-energy facility in Rochester.
A boost to arts and tourism
“This funding is critical to shining a bright light on the beauty, power and depth that arts and culture have on our region,” she said in an announcement of the state grant.
By showcasing cultural offerings, Wake said, “we have an opportunity to not only provide exposure, but an essential boost to our artists and arts organizations that desperately need all the help they can get.”
The foundation’s grant is the largest of the 14 grants distributed to Cape and Islands organizations. Those represent nearly one-quarter of the 59 grants and about 19% of the more than $1.58 million in funding available through the newly created Travel and Tourism Recovery Grant Pilot Program.