Tiverton sets FY2026 budget timeline as schools warn of structural deficit and enrollment decline

Tiverton town council, the school committee and the budget committee met Jan. 13 for a joint session to open work on the fiscal year (FY) 2025–26 budget. Officials laid out the timeline the town must follow this spring and school representatives warned the district faces ongoing budget pressures tied to falling enrollment and earlier staffing reductions.

The meeting facilitator summarized the calendar for budget submissions and approvals, saying, "By no later than March 19, the town clerk is required to submit the budget to the town administrator ... School committee has to prepare and submit their initial budget ... by 03/19," and that the town administrator must deliver a unified budget to the budget committee and town council by March 26. The facilitator added the town administrator will provide final non-property revenue estimates by April 15 and that the budget committee will prepare its proposal for the town council by April 25; the council will adopt the unified budget ordinance in May and post it to the town website within two days of passage.

Why it matters: those dates set the formal schedule for spending decisions that affect school staffing and town services. School officials told the joint session that the district has been relying on one-time funds and is carrying a structural deficit that will require additional reductions for FY2026.

A school committee representative said, "the school department has used one-time funds for several years now, and we've been carrying a structural deficit," and warned the committee expects to make cuts "above and beyond the cuts that we had to make of FY25, at which time we lost a net of 16 full time equivalent employees." The same speaker reported enrollment has fallen, saying, "our enrollment numbers have declined by a net of 18 students just since last May."

School committee members and councilors discussed the need for ongoing communication during the budget process so revisions and joint deliberations can happen as early budget drafts become available. The school committee representative asked that the two bodies meet as soon as a preliminary school budget is ready so both committees can review options together.

The meeting included only procedural votes to adjourn each of the three convening bodies. The budget committee and the school committee adjourned first; the town council closed the joint meeting after unanimous voice votes.

Votes at a glance: - Budget committee: Motion to adjourn — outcome: approved by voice vote (mover/second not specified). - Tiverton School Committee: Motion to adjourn — outcome: approved by voice vote. Present and recorded as voting: Mary Wall (yes), Kurt Doberstein (yes), Scott Toner (yes), Dan Darren (yes), John Cielo Cello (yes); Abigail Dupray was recorded absent. - Tiverton Town Council: Motion to adjourn — outcome: approved by voice vote. Present and recorded as voting: Councilor Janet (yes), Councilor Dimadry (yes), Councilor Edwards (yes), Councilor Paul (yes), Councilor Perry (yes).

The session was brief and focused on calendar and staffing implications; no budget figures, specific program cuts or final decisions were presented at the meeting. The school committee said it will begin formal FY2026 budget discussions immediately following the joint meeting and will submit required materials to the town administrator by March 19 or earlier if they are ready.