WESTBROOK – Following tense debate between city and school officials and a vote to decline the 2014-15 school budget last week, the Westbrook City Council reconsidered the decision Monday – on the condition that the two sides work more closely in the future.

The council voted 4-2 to approve the budget, with councilors Michael Foley and John O’Hara opposed.

Next year’s $33.8 million school budget has been criticized by members of the City Council for its $1.6 million increase from this year’s budget, despite a hike in revenues. Foley has said the budget represents “an unsustainable spending path.”

“If I made a motion this evening to increase the municipal side of the budget $1.6 million, would you approve it?” O’Hara asked the council.

The council was under the gun to find a resolution on the school budget this week, as a final reading must be approved by Monday, May 12, in order to make it on the June 10 ballot.

Last week’s vote to deny the budget came as both sides showed animosity sparked by failed plans for shared services between the city and school department, including a joint finance department that was broken up last year and a recent School Committee decision to break away from a consolidated human resources department with the city.

As part of an agreement this week, the school administration committed to continuing the joint human resources department, which has three employees. According to Westbrook comptroller Alicia Gardiner, a 50 percent split with the city would cost the school department $117,944, though the school department funded $95,000 in its budget for next year.

Additional terms in the agreement call for monthly finance review meetings between the city and school department, and monthly “communications” meetings, to include the council president, School Committee chairman, superintendent and city administrator.

In City Administrator Jerre Bryant’s memo to the council this week, he said, “This agreement provides a continued commitment to one of the key remaining joint city-school initiatives and sets up a formal and ongoing dialogue among elected and appointed officials.”

Foley said Monday that while he understands the challenges of the school budget process, he is wary of a million-dollar increase each year. However, Foley said, an agreement between the sides on closer communication is encouraging.

“I feel that they (school officials) are more committed than ever to explore other areas to work together on,” he said. “I hope that with those collaboration efforts we can get ourselves to a better position next year.”

Foley added that with the expanded communication effort next year, he’d like to see the council provide guidance to the school department on an acceptable budget figure.

Although both municipal and school budgets show increases, the Westbrook property tax rate for next year is expected to remain flat, at $17.20 per $1,000 of valuation. The county portion of the tax rate is up 2 cents, the school portion is up 7 cents, and the municipal portion is down 9 cents.

Superintendent of Schools Marc Gousse said Tuesday that he appreciates that the council has reconsidered and supported moving the budget forward.

“We certainly want to underscore the fact that we’re very cognizant of the economic times we’re in,” he said.

He said that he was “clear from the get-go” that a shared human resources department was something the school department “should support and continue.”

Gousse added that the school department can take away themes from the weeks of budget discussion of “collaboration and communication. We certainly will redouble our efforts to make sure the information we share with the School Committee and general public makes its way toward the council.”

According to Dean Flanigan, Westbrook schools’ director of operations, the majority of budget increases next year are coming from hikes in employee salaries and benefits, technology needs, and adding five new positions.

School Committee member Sue Salisbury, who also served as the chairwoman of the department’s finance committee this year, said Monday that while conflicts arose and the sides differed on some issues, they remained “unified on one thing, which was providing the best budget for the citizens of Westbrook.”