Selectman Brenda Eckstrom expressed frustration with school administrators' salary increases in the midst of cuts to programs during a presentation about the School Department budget at Tuesday's Board of Selectmen meeting.

"I am really frustrated at the lack of supplies and the resources that we give our teachers and I'm also frustrated [that] when choices need to be made, it seems that the children always come out on the short end," Eckstrom said.

In a meeting with the Finance Committee the next morning, Wareham Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Barry Rabinovitch said some administration salaries were unfairly compared to previous years' in Eckstrom's presentation.

Eckstrom said the School Department is requesting an increase of $750,000 and was concerned that parents were told that the budget is being cut by $750,000. "Everyone always seems to think that we're taking money away from the schools, but their budget has gone up," she said.

Rabinovitch said he and the School Committee determined how much money the School Department would need to operate without cutting programs, and that number was $1.7 million over what they thought the town could afford, which prompted cuts to programs. Rabinovitch said the School Department is looking to increase its budget by $950,719, which would be made up of a combination of state aid, savings on health insurance, and additional money from the town.

Eckstrom said that last year (fiscal year 2009), 9.2 percent of the School Department budget increase went to the salaries of the district's five highest-paid employees, adding that 7.8 percent of the overall increase of the school budget this year is going to those same employees. She said Rabinovitch received a 12.8 percent salary increase in fiscal year 2009 and was on track to make 8.6 percent more in fiscal year 2010.

Rabinovitch said fiscal year 2009 salaries for some of the five highest-paid employees were unfairly compared to the employees' current salaries. Rabinovitch was the assistant superintendent in 2009; Ana Miranda, now Director of Operations and Finance, was a principal; and Scott Palladino, now a principal, was an assistant principal, Rabinovitch said. The positions are compensated differently, he said.

Rabinovitch said his raise for next year (fiscal year 2011) was determined after an evaluation by the School Committee. "They rated me 'very good,'" Rabinovitch said. "Not 'excellent'." According to his contract, that meant he could receive up to a $5,000 raise, Rabinovitch said. He was given a 2.6 percent raise, which would make his salary $153,140 next year, he said.

Rabinovitch said his salary is comparable to other districts in the area. He said Bourne Public Schools is advertising a superintendent position with starting pay between $140,000 and $150,000.

Eckstrom also addressed concerns about funding Wareham schools at only the minimum level required by the state. "The state minimum, what it essentially means, is you can educate the children that you have on [that] money," she said.

Looking at the numbers for the current year, Eckstrom said the total operating budget for the town is approximately $45 million, and after subtracting fixed costs, such as health care and retirement, the budget is reduced to $35 million in discretionary spending. Of that, the School Department receives approximately $25.6 million dollars, with the rest being used for other town departments, she said.

Eckstrom said she wanted to make clear that the Board of Selectmen recognizes the School Committee's authority over the School Department's budget and it also recognizes that the School Department has financial obligations to union contracts.

"Three out of four of my children go to Wareham schools and I'm not here to attack the schools," Eckstrom said.

The School Committee was invited to Tuesday's meeting, Eckstrom said. It did not attend. School Committee Chairman Robert Brousseau said in a phone call that he received an e-mail on Friday, Feb. 26, which invited the committee to Tuesday's meeting. But because open meeting laws require the committee to post scheduled meetings 48 business hours beforehand, the committee could not attend.

"My comments are pretty much that everyone's budget is tight so everyone needs to tighten their belts and the School Department's top priority should be to provide a service to the students which they serve. And the services should be provided before raises should be given, especially in these tough economic times," Eckstrom said.

For people wanting to help the schools, Eckstrom said donations of copy paper, hand sanitizer, tissues, and paper towels would likely be appreciated by teachers. Those interested in making monetary donations should be sure to write how the donation should be used, i.e., for art supplies for elementary schools or books for the high school, she said.

In other Selectmen business:

Town Administrator Mark Andrews said a lifeguard program has been put into the fiscal year 2011 budget. The town has been without lifeguards to monitor its beaches for about four years, Chairman Bruce D. Sauvageau said.

Gov. Deval Patrick has signed the bill to recertify the Wareham Free Library, Andrews said.

"Wareham Works," an economic summit designed to showcase Wareham to businesses and developers, is tentatively scheduled for the end of March, Selectman Eckstrom reported.