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Brunswick Central School District board adopts $30.8 million proposed budget, preserves SRO for one year and keeps counselor
Summary
The Brunswick Central School District Board approved a $30,821,838 proposed budget to present at a June 5 hearing and put to a June 17 vote, using $1,000,000 in reserves while preserving the school resource officer contract for one year and the elementary guidance counselor; a resigned science position will not be filled.
The Brunswick Central School District Board on May 20 discussed and adopted a proposed $30,821,838 budget for presentation at a public hearing on June 5 and for a vote by residents on June 17.
Chair (S3) told the meeting the purpose was "to strictly discuss the budget and how to make cuts to stay under the cap," and staff presented options to close a remaining gap through a mix of program changes and one-time use of reserves. Staff (S2) said the board was proposing to use $1,000,000 of fund balance to help close the gap: "that million dollars is not...we are taking 1000000 dollars out of those reserves, to make this happen."
After discussion the board agreed on a package of changes that preserves certain positions while trimming others. Key elements the board discussed and agreed to include keeping the school resource officer under a one-year contract, retaining the elementary guidance counselor, not replacing a resigned science teacher (the board characterized the likely impact as primarily on elective offerings), eliminating the elementary kickball program and not filling a Reach teaching assistant position. The board also decided to keep Huddl (the district's sports-streaming platform) on the rolls for now while exploring a Booster Club donation to offset a large upfront payment.
Board member S7 formally read the resolution putting the budget on the table: "Be it resolved that the Board of Education approves the proposed district budget in the amount of $30,821,838 for the 2025–2026 school year for presentation to the residents...on 06/17/2025." When asked for a vote the board recorded "Motion carries" (no roll-call tally appeared in the transcript).
The board stressed the trade-offs involved. Staff and board members warned that drawing down reserves reduces flexibility in future years and that a contingency budget would impose statutory limits on what the district could purchase if the public vote fails. Staff noted health-insurance cost increases were a principal cost driver this year; the meeting referenced an approximately $650,000 increase in insurance costs.
Next steps: the board will present the adopted budget at the June 5 hearing and residents will vote on June 17. Board members discussed targeted outreach — postcards, QR codes, social messaging and short videos — to summarize what would be at stake for students and programs if the budget fails.
(Reporting note: quotations and attributions map to meeting participants as recorded in the transcript; direct quotes are attributed to the speaker labels used in the record.)
