Public hearings spotlight capital maintenance, arts, before‑school care and board compensation as budget priorities
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Summary
Public speakers urged the board to demand more city capital funding for school repairs, to prioritize arts and technology, expand before‑ and after‑school access at EELC sites, and to view proposed board compensation through an equity lens that broadens who can serve.
During the public hearings on the FY27 budget and school‑board compensation, community members, educators and students urged the board to align the budget with equity goals and urgent facility needs. Kathy O’Hara called the city’s proposed capital maintenance allocation “paltry” compared with repair costs and urged the board to press city council for a capital plan that reflects actual needs. Nick Green, a teacher and advocate, said more than half of district buildings have facility condition indices indicating replacement‑level needs and asked that the board ‘‘call the city to the table unapologetically.’'
Students and teachers raised programmatic priorities: a Granby freshman asked the board to fund arts and band materials instead of relying on teacher out‑of‑pocket purchases; an eighth grader asked for more classroom Chromebooks and student participation in school improvement projects; teachers called for higher pay, paid grading days, and more counselors and reading interventionists. Several speakers also urged making before‑school Champions programs financially accessible at EELC schools, or subsidizing slots for families who cannot afford current fees.
On board compensation, public commenters urged the board to study comparative data and consider pay as an equity measure to broaden candidate diversity. One speaker noted press coverage framing the proposal as a large percentage increase but recommended an evidence‑based review with local research partners before finalizing any change.
No final action on the budget or compensation was taken during the meeting; the public input will feed upcoming budget work and the board’s April budget submission to city council.
