Region 10, transportation, nutrition and facilities budgets presented as RSU 5 reviews FY26 proposals

Administrators and agency representatives presented a slate of service and capital budget items Wednesday as RSU 5 continued its FY26 budget review.

Region 10 technical high school: Sybil Brewer, business manager for Region 10, told the board the cooperative’s FY26 request is $4,312,957, a 6.59% increase driven by staff salary step and benefit estimates, a new engineering and architectural design program, and increased maintenance and service contracts. Freeport’s assessed share would rise to about $307,645 (a 6.21% increase), Brewer said. The program’s start‑up includes state aid for new CTE programs available the first three years.

Transportation and fleet plan: Interim transportation director Jeremy Osmalt outlined fleet maintenance, repairs and a proposed three‑year lease‑purchase plan for buses and service vehicles (phase 1 estimate $163,662 for FY26 implementation); the superintendent recommended using undesignated fund balance to offset the initial phase. Osmalt said mechanic staffing remains a challenge and that outsourcing some repairs is a contingency if an in‑house mechanic cannot be retained.

Nutrition and school meals: Nutrition director Erica reported stable staffing and continued high participation in district meal programs (approximately 217,000 meals served year‑to‑date). The nutrition budget request for FY26 is lower than FY25 due to program revenue and local sourcing: the department proposed $139,000 from the general fund, down from about $185,000 in the current year. Erica said the program is preparing for federal changes affecting free meals and added that local procurement (fish, apples) and a pilot vending option for second‑chance breakfast were underway.

Facilities and capital improvements: Facilities director Glenn summarized proposed capital work including a roof section replacement at the middle school, heat‑pump installation in the high‑school teacher lounge, ADA upgrades to elementary bathrooms and life‑safety projects such as alarm panel replacements where equipment is obsolete. The board discussed the trade‑offs between acting now on life‑safety and energy projects and preserving reserves in case of uncertain future state or federal funding; Glenn and administration said they would prioritize items and return with phased options.

Technology and community programs: IT staff presented a FY26 plan focused on targeted classroom Wi‑Fi and device pilots; administration said next year will include pilots to evaluate device choices for grades 6–12 (Chromebooks, iPads with keyboard, or MacBooks) and recommended teacher training alongside any rollout. Community programs budget showed a reduction in adult‑education coordinator hours from full time to part time, reflecting program size and enrollment.

Next steps: Board members asked for clarifications about one‑time start‑up grants for new programs, the mechanics of the proposed vehicle lease purchases, and whether facilities life‑safety projects could be phased if the board chooses to conserve capital reserves. Administration agreed to return with additional detail and sequencing options for capital and service items ahead of March deliberations.