Board briefed on proposed 2025–26 budget at tax‑cap level, capital project impacts and bus electrification plans

Superintendent Matt Landau and senior staff told the Beacon City School District Board on March 24 that the district’s preliminary 2025–26 budget proposal is set at the tax cap (a 5.15% levy increase) and that the proposed budget includes the first year of tax impact from a previously announced capital project that will fund infrastructure and programmatic improvements across the district.

Landau and district finance staff said the preliminary budget total discussed was about $86,000,000 and that the year‑to‑year budget‑to‑budget increase under discussion is approximately 3.6 percent. They said three cost categories — salaries (about $45 million), benefits (about $25 million) and debt service (about $6.6 million) — represent the largest shares of spending and together account for roughly 88.5 percent of the budget.

The presentation outlined how a lower levy would change revenue: reducing the levy to 4.68% would yield roughly $225,000 less revenue, and reducing it to 4.15% would yield about $475,000 less, the staff said. Landau described the district’s history of presenting budgets at the tax cap in recent years and said the administration intends to propose a tax‑cap budget; final adoption is scheduled for April 22.

Capital project and debt service: staff described the $50 million capital project approved by the community last year and said this proposal represents the first year of its tax impact. The project includes building infrastructure updates across six schools, secure entry upgrades and programmatic items such as theater and athletic facility improvements and additional air conditioning in elementary and middle schools. Staff said the project requires additional debt service reflected in the proposed budget.

Transportation and buses: the presentation covered current fleet and staffing (23 buses, 24 vans, 32 drivers with two in training and 14 monitors) and noted continuing driver shortages. The district reviewed a transportation “wish list” that a supervisor provided — three 72‑passenger buses, one wheelchair bus and one small van — while also describing electric‑bus work already underway. Board members previously approved one electric bus, then later approved two more; staff said the district expects delivery of two electric buses this summer and that chargers are on order. Landau said further conversion to electric buses will require expanded charging capacity and possibly a small capital project at the transportation facility.

Staff said the state governor’s mandate to shift to electric bus purchases by 2027 (as described in the presentation) is a factor in planning, but the district must balance charging infrastructure constraints, grant funding and budget priorities. Staff said electric buses will be placed on a variety of routes for testing and familiarization with drivers and mechanics.

Technology and other items: interim technology director Micah Damcek and staff described plans to replace the district phone system beginning this summer, update switches at the high school (partly E‑Rate funded), upgrade the firewall for network security, replace Chromebooks on the regular cycle (staff noted roughly a 10% price increase for Chromebooks) and refresh virtual servers. Staff said the district will present specific cost numbers for technology at the next meeting.

Budget priorities and timing: Landau and staff said the proposed budget includes two targeted additions to instruction — two elementary reading positions and math intervention teachers — and that the administration is considering phasing some larger program changes over two years to reduce the risk of having to reverse changes in future budget cycles. Finance staff described drivers of cost increases including health insurance and general insurance. The board and staff discussed comparisons of local tax rates with neighboring districts; staff said Beacon’s tax rate has been comparatively low within the region.

Next steps: the administration will return with more detailed instructional data, technology cost estimates, and specifics on which buses a potential bus proposition would replace (including mileage and vehicle condition) ahead of the April 7 and April 22 meetings. Landau said the district will undertake a community outreach and communications plan in the weeks before the vote, including PTA meetings, digital forums and an FAQ on the budget website.

Meeting outcomes: later in the meeting the board approved routine consent items and moved into executive session to review employment history of an individual; those procedural votes were recorded as part of the meeting minutes.