School Committee Chair Badger Resigns After Winning State Rep Seat

Plymouth faces $612,000 budget shortfall for upcoming fiscal year

PLYMOUTH, MA - November 18 - Plymouth School Committee Chair Michelle Badger announced her resignation effective Dec. 17, following her election as State Representative for the first Plymouth District. The committee outlined the process for appointing a new member to serve the remainder of her term until May 2025.

Badger's resignation will be officially announced to the town of Plymouth on Nov. 19 through social media and other channels. Interested candidates can apply with a letter of interest and resume from Nov. 19 to Dec. 19.

"If you're a doer and you're interested in being involved, this is some of the most rewarding work that you'll get an opportunity to do," Badger said, encouraging potential applicants.

The School Committee and Select Board will hold a joint meeting on Jan. 6 to interview candidates and vote on the appointment. The chosen candidate will be sworn in and join the committee for their first meeting on Jan. 27.

Badger emphasized the importance of minimizing disruption, noting there will only be one meeting with six committee members before the new appointee joins.

In budget news, Plymouth Public Schools anticipates a manageable $612,000 budget shortfall for the upcoming fiscal year, a significant improvement from initial projections.

"This shortfall should be something that we can address strategically internally without much of an issue," said Superintendent Dr. Chris Campbell.

The district's revised budget for fiscal year 2025 stands at $121,365,299. For fiscal year 2026, the district expects new revenue of $5,773,047, bringing the total budget to approximately $127 million.

Dr. Adam Blaisdell, School Business Administrator, explained that the district has already identified ways to reduce the shortfall.

"By split funding some of our custodians who do a lot of work in the cafeteria during the day, we're going to be looking at saving about $300,000 out of budget money," Blaisdell said.

This adjustment, along with other changes, has reduced the projected shortfall from $900,000 to the current estimate of $612,000.

Campbell expressed optimism about the budget situation, noting it's better than in recent years. "I think that the budget that we will present to you Dec. 2 will be responsive to the students' needs," he said.

The district plans to present a detailed budget on Dec. 2, with some changes in presentation format. Instead of having principals and department heads present individually, Campbell and Blaisdell will provide an overview of each cost center.

"We haven't added anything. We're not adding any programs. We're not adding a lot of supplies and materials," Campbell explained. "It's really we've made some careful considerations."

The district has also made changes to budget organization, including creating a dedicated transportation cost center and consolidating substitute teacher lines.

In other business, the committee heard updates on various district activities, including student exchanges and building projects. The district recently welcomed exchange students from Collegio San Carlo in Italy, who will experience Thanksgiving in Plymouth.

The School Committee's next meeting is scheduled for Dec. 2, where they will review the detailed budget presentation for fiscal year 2026.