RSU 40 board approves $40,815,369 FY‑26 budget after last‑minute adjustments for higher insurance costs

The RSU 40 / MSAD 40 school board approved a FY‑26 budget of $40,815,369 at its April meeting, after members and staff worked through a roughly $300,000 shortfall caused by a higher-than-budgeted insurance renewal and an increase tied to a newly approved administrators’ contract.

Board member Julie Nolan moved the committee-recommended amount and the motion was seconded; the budget passed with a recorded roll call vote (motion recorded as passed in the meeting minutes).

The budget matter came into focus when the district’s property/health insurance renewal arrived at a 14% increase, higher than the 10% figure used in earlier estimates. Business and finance staff said that difference, combined with costs associated with the recently approved administrators’ collective bargaining agreement, left the district with about $268,000 to find.

Karen, a staff member who presented the budget adjustments to the board, said the administration identified several offsets. “So because of that, the impact of insurance was less and also, the salaries went down,” Karen said, describing turnover savings from long‑tenured retirements and…