School Committee transfers funds to cover unexpected transportation costs
Summary
Northbridge School Committee approved an internal transfer totaling $129,555 to cover additional costs for outer-district, McKinney-Vento and foster transportation for fiscal 2025.
The Northbridge School Committee voted Tuesday to move $129,555 within the fiscal 2025 budget to cover higher-than-expected transportation costs for students placed outside the district, students experiencing homelessness, and students in foster care.
Committee members approved transfers of $84,000 to the outer-district transportation line, $35,855 for McKinney-Vento (homeless) transportation, and $9,700 for foster-student transportation. The committee directed that the money come from existing fiscal 2025 accounts: $60,000 from heating, $40,000 from electricity, and $29,555 from salary lines that are projected to come in under budget.
The move responds to a pattern the district could not fully predict when the budget was set. “We budgeted for 27 runs and currently have 27 active runs, but we have three more runs currently in place than we budgeted,” a district staff member said, describing how the number and duration of runs changed costs. The staff member explained that McKinney-Vento runs can be short or long and that daily rates were close to budgeted amounts but the number of days and runs were higher this year.
Committee discussion clarified that these are internal transfers within the approved fiscal 2025 budget and do not increase the district’s overall appropriations. A committee member asked whether the transfers could be acted on immediately; the committee moved the item to action and then voted.
The roll call recorded the following yes votes: Heather Alden; Shannon Canoy; Carl Cowan; Jonathan Canoy; Jill Leonard; and one additional committee member who seconded the motion. The motion carried and the transfers were approved.
Officials said the district will continue to monitor transportation runs and related costs through the end of the fiscal year and noted that actual costs could still change.
Less-critical budget lines (heating, electricity, and some salary savings) were cited as the source of funds to avoid requesting additional appropriations.
