ORANGE — The initial proposal for Ralph C. Mahar Regional School’s fiscal year 2025 budget entails a 4.96% hike in expenses over the current year, though revisions will be made based on input from the School Committee and other stakeholders.

Michele Tontodonato, the school district’s director of finance and operations, addressed the School Committee at last week’s meeting and detailed the budget’s finer points, with explanations behind the increases and decreases in the proposed figures. She said in an interview that most of the increases are related to contractual obligations as well as inflation.

The proposed budget is $16.3 million, which is $772,876 higher than the current year’s figures. The proposed budget includes $12.6 million for general education and $3.7 million for special education.

There is a proposed $15,566 cut to the Athletics Department. Tontodonato explained some money, specifically ticket revenue from games, sits in a revolving account, meaning that less money is needed under the Athletics Department budget.

The figures for Central Office expenses are $501,593, which is $21,505 higher than the current year. There is also a contracted 13.7% increase in transportation costs. There are some spending decreases, including 1.5% in general education instructional technology and a 0.6% drop in facilities and maintenance.

According to Tontodonato’s figures, 79 students are choicing into Mahar in 2024, while 85 students are choicing out and 45 are homeschooled.

The assessments to Mahar’s four towns are as follows: Orange, $5.83 million, an increase of $337,941 over the current year’s figures; Petersham, $1.03 million, an increase of $53,978; New Salem, $517,258, a decrease of $129,638; and Wendell, $651,299, an increase of $140,025.

Ralph C. Mahar Regional, Orange Elementary Schools and Petersham Center School were separate and distinct school districts until 2013, each with their own administration. They sought to form a superintendency union for supervision and cost-sharing of district staff. According to Tontodonato, the formation of Union 73 and consolidation of district staff has proven to be an efficient way to streamline services and save money.

“Through the cost-sharing agreement and consolidation of administrative positions, the districts have been able to realize significant savings while still providing essential services to districts,” she wrote in budget documents presented at last week’s meeting. “The time study conducted also highlighted the allocation of resources and benefits of sharing positions among the districts.”

The four towns will vote on the budget during their respective Annual Town Meetings. Tontodonato said she hopes the School Committee will approve the proposed budget at its April meeting.

Reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or 413-930-4120.