Timberlane board approves plan to align FY26 budget, including elimination of 37 positions

The Timberlane Regional School District school board voted April 3 to accept the administration’s plan to align the FY26 budget to the amount that voters approved at the district deliberative session. The package includes elimination of 37 positions effective June 30, 2025, a set of reductions targeted at salaries and benefits, and institutional risk assumptions for health insurance, FICA and retirement costs.

Superintendent Justin Krieger presented the administration’s analysis and said the reductions were necessary to meet a $6,626,151 gap between the initially proposed budget and the budget as ultimately voted. Krieger presented a multi‑part plan that he said prioritized preserving positions where possible while accepting defined financial risks.

Krieger summarized the plan’s major elements: a $3,828,942 reduction in salaries and benefits (37 positions), a $892,209 reduction in principals’ and directors’ discretionary lines (including contract service risk), transportation adjustments (no change to the previously presented transportation figure), and a $1,000,000 contingency set aside as a health‑insurance risk. He told the board, “We're here because we are required to meet a voted budget, and these would not have been reductions that we would have brought forth otherwise… This is our plan to try to meet those needs in the least impactful way that we're able to.”

Board members and administrators walked through the position changes by level: six elementary positions (including paraeducator and classroom teacher reductions), four middle‑school positions, eight high‑school positions and one SAU‑level special education director reduction, among other changes. The administration said many of the position reductions come from open or vacant roles (22 of the 37) and from attrition; 10 were described as reductions in force. The administration also reported an aggregate of 54.5 positions eliminated or reduced over the course of the budget cycle when including earlier actions.

Board members voiced concern about the effect on instruction and student services. Jack Sapien, a board member who moved the motion to eliminate the positions, said he felt the decision personally: “I made the motion. I just I feel guilty doing it, but…” The motion to eliminate the 37 positions was moved by Jack Sapien and seconded by Marion (last name not specified in the transcript); it passed by voice vote.

After the personnel motion, the board also voted to approve the administration’s FY26 alignment plan, a separate motion moved by Alyssa and seconded by Mark. That motion also passed by voice vote. The administration said if budget risks materialize — for example, if health‑insurance costs exceed the assumed $1,000,000 risk — staff would look to reallocate funds from other lines or return to the voters if necessary.

Public comment during and after the discussion included multiple speakers who criticized the budget cuts and urged greater community support for schools. The administration said it would continue to provide line‑item detail to the board and to track implementation impacts.

The board directed administration to notify affected employees under the district’s regular procedures, and to report back to the board on implementation and any required follow‑up actions as the fiscal year closes.