Budget committee recommends Swayze School operating budget at $7.86 million
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Summary
The Brentwood Municipal Budget Committee voted to recommend the Swayze School operating budget — Article 1 — at $7,858,303, a 3.54% increase largely driven by higher health and dental insurance costs; the committee discussed special-education reserves, solar savings and grant accounting before the vote.
The Brentwood Municipal Budget Committee voted to recommend the Swayze School operating budget — Article 1 — at $7,858,303 during its Jan. 12 meeting.
The packet presented to the committee reflected a 3.54% overall increase for fiscal year 2027. School presenters and board members said the largest driver of the increase is higher health and dental insurance costs, which they listed as roughly a $257,000 change in premiums from the prior year. The presenters described the board’s chosen “option 3” budget as a lean approach that eliminates one unfilled teacher position while aiming to preserve academic outcomes.
Committee members and the public asked detailed, page-by-page questions about line items. School staff said the special-education tuition line was reduced to $25,000 this year after an anticipated high-cost placement did not materialize last year. Principal Ron Hugh explained a new $13,000 extra-duty stipend is for paid extracurricular duties — cross-country, after‑school clubs and a newly planned day camp — and that amounts previously paid may have been recorded in different account codes. “That’s for extracurriculars to pay our staff to do extracurricular activities,” Ron Hugh said when asked about the stipend.
Presenters also walked through changes to substitute-pay projections (addressing maternity and long-term leaves) and a new speech-language hire that alters salary allocations. The budget packet showed a $30,000 reduction in the electricity appropriation based on the first full month of solar production beginning April 1; staff cautioned they left a buffer because the district has not yet completed a full winter season under the panels.
The committee discussed the SAU’s approach to grants and appropriations. Staff described a change that will move grant appropriations into district budgets to improve reporting and explained that grant expenditures are paid by the SAU and then reimbursed by the state. Committee members asked for a grant‑activity report specific to Swayze so they can monitor grants drawn down during the fiscal year.
After public comment and questions, a motion to recommend Article 1 at $7,858,303 was made, seconded and approved by the committee.
What’s next: The committee’s recommendation will be included on the warrant; public hearings are scheduled in February and the school district meeting is set for March.
