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Weare district says default budget will cover 11 bus routes; Medicaid revenue remains uncertain
Summary
Business office described the district’s default budget status, said a transportation contract will be signed to provide 11 routes next year, and flagged risks to revenue from Medicaid and interest income.
The Weare School Board was told on March 25 that the district will operate under a default budget for next year, but that transportation service is funded in that default.
“We are in a default budget or we will be for next year,” a district business office presenter said, adding that the district is signing a transportation contract and “we will have buses next year. We will have 11 routes for the buses, and we have the funding for that because our default was actually higher than the proposed.”
The presenter said the contract has not yet been approved by voters because the district did not carry a proposed budget forward from the most recent deliberative session. That means the transportation contract will appear in next year’s proposed budget, creating a wider gap between the proposed and default budgets when work on FY27 begins.
On the reconciliation report, staff said some encumbrances were released and the general fund balance improved modestly, but cautioned about uncertain revenue sources. The business office reported tuition revenue exceeded projections but singled out Medicaid reimbursement and interest and “local and other funds” as possible shortfalls. “I think where I’m still concerned that we may not hit the budget amount is Medicaid, and honestly potentially interest and local and other funds,” the presenter said.
Board members asked about the mechanics of encumbrance releases and what a revenue shortfall would mean under a default budget. Staff explained encumbrances are purchase orders and earmarks set early in the year that can be released as needs clarify; reduced revenue would lower the final available fund balance and could affect year‑end returns to the town.
Other budget items mentioned in the meeting included recent hiring (paraeducators and a student services coordinator) and positions encumbered for the year. The business office said the reconciliation showed the budget “has been frozen” as the district moves toward year‑end reporting.
