RSU 04 board adopts $23.14 million budget; referendum set for July 29

The RSU 04 school board on July 9 approved a $23,136,171 spending plan for fiscal year 2025–26 — a 2.21% increase over the prior year — after making $301,738 in cuts to the superintendent-recommended budget. The validation referendum is scheduled for July 29 in Litchfield, Sabatus and Wales.

The board and superintendent presented the budget history and the adjustments at the meeting. Superintendent Marco Aliberdi said the board had previously approved a $23,310,071 budget on May 14 and that a public budget meeting later increased that number to $23,437,909 (a 3.54% rise). Between the May meeting and July 9, the board and administration reduced the total by $301,738 to arrive at $23,136,171.

The largest single set of changes included: a $15,000 reduction in the paid family medical leave private plan, a $7,000 decrease in purchased property services, a $6,900 reduction attributable to a Title I summer school grant, and the removal of $127,838 that had been previously approved for maintenance. The board also removed $145,000 from the maintenance cost center that had been budgeted as an annual loan payment for an energy project after the district paid off that loan in June 2025. The superintendent and board described those items as reductions rather than cuts to line items for ongoing repairs.

A member of the public objected to the process and described the packet and presentation as insufficiently transparent, saying it was “the most nontransparent budget that’s ever been presented to a budget meeting.” The commenter raised concerns that removing maintenance funds would leave towns facing unanticipated repair costs. In response, RSU 04 board member Robbie Gayton said the board had available, unspent revenue from the current year that offset the reduction and that some maintenance items had already been covered by this year’s budget. “There was revenue that remained in the budget that was unexpended,” Gayton said.

Article-by-article votes were taken on the floor and carried on voice vote for Articles 1–11 and 15 (these articles authorize program- and function-level expenditures such as regular instruction, special education, transportation and facilities maintenance; specific article texts were read aloud at the meeting). Article 12 set the total appropriations and the amounts to be raised by each municipality (Litchfield, Sabatus and Wales) under the Essential Programs and Services Funding Act and was approved by voice vote. The meeting recorded the town-by-town figures and the overall appropriation of $18,032,812.06 and a total to be raised by the three towns of $6,686,108.33.

Article 13 — a required written ballot — asked voters present whether the RSU should raise and appropriate $4,270,359 in additional local funds (amount described as the board’s recommended additional local funds that exceed the EPS model). A motion to amend that amount to $4,027,359 failed for lack of a second. The secret ballot recorded 24 total voters present and 19 yes, 3 no; Article 13 passed.

Article 14, the final article authorizing the school board to expend $23,136,171 for 2025–26, passed on a counted voice/paddle vote on the floor: the moderator counted 17 in favor and 1 opposed and declared the motion carried. The moderator reminded attendees that this meeting’s vote is the first step and that the validation referendum will be held July 29; absentee voting opens the following day at each town office. Poll hours announced at the meeting: Litchfield and Sabatus, 8 a.m.–8 p.m.; Wales, 7 a.m.–8 p.m.

The meeting concluded after the moderator closed business and adjourned. Voters in the three towns will cast final ballots in the validation referendum on July 29.