Oyster River board advances FY26 budget, approves $530,920 for elementary design work

The Oyster River Coop School District school board opened a public hearing on the proposed FY26 budget and approved a package of warrant articles that includes $530,920 for architectural and engineering design work on two elementary schools, the board announced during a regular meeting.

Dr. Schaps, superintendent, told the board that the budget “is really representing the financial plan of our values our goals and objectives,” and outlined drivers of the budget increase including health insurance, IT upgrades, transportation, special education services and capital repairs.

The board’s general fund operating budget for FY26 is proposed at $56,002,463; the district reported total budgets across funds of $58,002,091. The administration said the operating budget would grow by roughly $1.4 million, a 2.65 percent increase over the current year; the district’s default budget would reflect a smaller increase of about $924,069 (approximately 1.89 percent). With a separate first‑year guild warrant of about $1.1 million the administration said the combined operating increase and guild commitment would amount to roughly a 4.75 percent rise.

Key budget drivers the district identified were: a $210,000 increase in health insurance costs tied to premium growth; approximately $172,000 in IT requests focused on cybersecurity and device replacement; about $201,000 for curriculum and professional development; roughly $139,340 for transportation fleet improvements; a $430,000 increase for special‑education related services and staffing; and a $417,000 increase in capital spending for short‑term building priorities such as roof and HVAC work.

Warrant articles described during the hearing and approved by the board included: - Article 3: Fund 10 operational budget (general operating budget) as presented. - Article 4: A guild (union) contract warrant with a first‑year commitment the administration described as roughly $1.1 million. - Article 5: A request to raise and appropriate $530,920 for architectural and engineering fees to advance planning for expansions and renovations at Moharimet Elementary School and Mast Way Elementary School; the funds are intended to bring design documents to about 80 percent to stay on a timeline toward a March 2026 bond, the administration said. - Article 6: $125,000 to continue the district’s multi‑year commitment to middle‑school solar panels. - Article 7: $125,000 to add to an expendable trust for future artificial turf replacement at the high school.

Dr. Schaps and staff emphasized the Article 5 funds are design and engineering costs only; the administration said the architects (Nova Studio Architects) recommended a broader approach to address classroom availability, specialist workspace and cafeteria constraints at the elementary level before placing a larger capital bond before voters. The administration scheduled a community presentation by the architects for Feb. 19 to review options and timeline ahead of the deliberative session and vote.

The board voted to approve the warrant articles as presented (motion by Board member Denise; second by Renee) and took the vote “as amended” after clarifying language about Article 5’s description; the motion carried 6 in favor, with the student representative also recorded as in favor. Later the board authorized district officials to sign the MS‑DSB (default budget) and the MS‑26 (proposed operating budget) forms; that authorization also passed 6 in favor, student representative in favor (mover Denise; second Kelly).

Administrators also reviewed enrollment projections that informed the budget planning. The district reported an October 1 enrollment of 2,083 students (including preschool) and projected a continued modest decline at the middle school with potential stabilization in two years. The administration noted Barrington tuition enrollments remain part of the projection picture and that kindergarten registration numbers will affect classroom counts and sectioning at elementary schools.

The superintendent said estimated tax impacts under the combined warrants show projected school‑rate impacts of $13.71 per $1,000 assessed value for Durham, $19.72 per $1,000 for Lee, and $22.67 per $1,000 for Madbury; the administration cautioned those are estimates and final rates depend on year‑end equalized valuations and tax rolls.

The board reminded the public the deliberative session is scheduled for Feb. 4 (snow date Feb. 6) with vote day on March 11; supporting budget documents are posted on the district website, the administration said.

Votes at a glance: the motions to approve the warrant articles as presented and to authorize signing the MS‑DSB and MS‑26 forms each carried 6–0 with the student representative in favor. No warrant article failed on first presentation.

For more detail, the district recommended community members attend the Feb. 19 presentation by Nova Studio Architects and consult posted budget documents on the district website.